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Women requiring anaesthesia in the peripartum period should have the same standards of perioperative care as for any surgical and medical patient.^6,32

The anaesthetist should have a competent trained assistant immediately available for the duration of any anaesthetic intervention and this practitioner should not have any other duties.³³

All theatre staff acting as anaesthesia assistants should comply fully with current national training standards, and should be required to have attained and maintained the relevant competencies to perform the role (an example of these competencies is referenced).^33,34

Anaesthetic practitioners who cover obstetrics should demonstrate additional knowledge and skills specific to the care of pregnant women.³⁴

Anaesthetists and anaesthesia assistants working without direct supervision in obstetric theatres and on the delivery suite should be familiar with the environment and working practices of that unit and work there on a regular basis to maintain that familiarity.

Those requiring postoperative recovery care should receive the same standard of care as the non-obstetric postoperative population.^{6,34,35,36,37}

All staff caring for the obstetric population following anaesthesia should be familiar with the area for recovery of obstetric patients and be experienced in the use of the different early warning scoring systems for obstetric patients. They should have been trained to the same standard as for all recovery practitioners working in other areas of general surgical work, should maintain...

An adult resuscitation team trained in resuscitation of the pregnant patient should be immediately available.³⁹

There should be secretarial support for the department of anaesthesia, including the obstetric anaesthetic service.

Provision should be made to ensure access to other allied healthcare professionals, such as clinical pharmacists, dieticians, outreach nurses and physiotherapists, is available if required.⁴⁰