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When the anaesthetist is informed of a request for neuraxial analgesia (and the circumstances would be suitable for this type of analgesia) the anaesthetist should attend within 30 minutes of being informed. Only in exceptional circumstances should this period be longer, and in all cases attendance should be within one hour.  This should be the subject of regular audits.^27,115

Anaesthesia may be required for radiotherapy, to facilitate patient positioning and to alleviate pain. Owing to the unique nature of the procedures involved in radiotherapy, the remoteness of the location and the lack of direct access to the patient, only anaesthetists familiar with the therapy should embark on anaesthesia for these patients.^48,50 The anaesthetic should be provided...

All efforts should be made to ensure that anaesthetists in training receive adequate experience in emergency anaesthesia, and completion of workplace-based assessments should be supported.¹ Departments should monitor the frequency and the nature of non-theatre calls to establish whether the anaesthetists in training receive appropriate support and training and the patients receive adequate care. Departments should use this...

One or more named senior anaesthetists with appropriate training and expertise, and with an interest in head and neck surgery, should be responsible for directly or indirectly overseeing all complex and/or major head and neck procedures.⁵ All other regular sessions should have a named autonomously practising anaesthetist with appropriate skills assigned to them.⁶

When an awake fibreoptic 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 should be advised to bring this issue to the attention of anaesthetists during any future preoperative assessment. The patient’s general practitioner should also be informed in...

At all times SAS anaesthetists who are not autonomously practising anaesthetists should be supervised at an appropriate level(1-4) of sessional supervision, varying depending on both their level, including their previous experience and capability, and the case or cases for which they are being supervised doing.^37,41,42