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The written and verbal information given to patients before their admission to hospital should explain the purpose and nature of their recovery and the recovery department. You and your anaesthetic, published by the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Association of Anaesthetists is an example of this.⁵¹ Further details on information to be given preoperatively can be found in...

A patient’s consent to participate in research projects should be obtained by those conducting the study and not by the anaesthetist providing care for the operation. Consent should be obtained on a separate signed document and approval should be sought from the anaesthetist who will be delivering the anaesthetic to the patient.^79,81

When an awake fibre-optic intubation is required, patients should be informed. As part of a difficult airway follow up, patients should be informed verbally and in writing about any airway problem the anaesthetist encountered, and be advised to bring this to the attention of anaesthetists during any future preoperative assessment. The patient’s GP should also be informed in writing.⁷⁰

Anaesthetists with a substantial commitment to paediatric anaesthesia should have satisfied the higher and advanced level competency based training requirements in paediatric anaesthesia of the RCoA⁴⁸ or equivalent. It is recognised that anaesthetists involved in highly specialised areas such as paediatric cardiac and neurosurgery will require additional training that is individually tailored to their needs.

If a patient is transferred to the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) with a tracheal tube in place, the anaesthetist remains responsible for the removal of the tube but may delegate its removal. Delegation should be to an appropriately trained member of the PACU staff who is prepared to accept this delegated responsibility.⁴

The preoperative assessment and decisions regarding the risks of vascular surgery are often complex and time consuming, and require detailed discussions with the patient and other colleagues. Patients undergoing major vascular surgery should ideally be assessed by a vascular anaesthetist. Regular sessional time and programmed activities should be made available for anaesthetists to fulfil these requirements.²²

In busier units, increased levels of consultant or other autonomously practising anaesthetist cover may be necessary and should reflect the level of consultant obstetrician staffing in the unit.²⁹ This may involve extending the working day to include senior presence into the evening session and/or increasing numbers of autonomously practising anaesthetists.

The preoperative assessment and decisions regarding the risks of vascular surgery are often complex and time consuming, and require detailed discussions with the patient and other colleagues. Patients undergoing major vascular surgery should ideally be assessed by a vascular anaesthetist. Regular sessional time and programmed activities should be made available for anaesthetists to fulfil these requirements.¹²