Search

Emergency and elective pathways should be separated (whenever practically feasible), to improve clinical care for patients.^18,19

There should be clarity of leadership and roles in the supervision of the day to day running of the anaesthetic department.

Elective theatres should offer spare capacity (such as that resulting from cancellations) to the emergency theatres.²⁰Elective cases may be cancelled, in accordance with agreed local procedures, to facilitate emergency work if required.

When members of the healthcare team are involved in a critical incident, the personal impact on individual team members can be significant.^7,21 Following a significant critical incident, the clinical director (see Glossary) or appropriate individual (head of service) should promptly review the immediate clinical commitments of the staff concerned. Relevant support for staff following a critical...

Appropriate patient centred pathways should be in place linking through to primary care, clinical policies, checklists and standard operating procedures for operating theatres.

Policies for the management of children in accordance with GPAS chapter 10: Guidelines for the Provision of Paediatric Anaesthesia Services should be held wherever children are anaesthetised or sedated.³⁹

Access to paperless guidelines through a readily available hospital intranet repository is encouraged.

Anaesthetic departments should have a coherent and well managed governance structure with a clinical lead with time identified for the role within their job plan.

All critical incidents should be reported according to local governance procedures.⁴⁰

Hospitals must have systems in place to facilitate multidisciplinary morbidity and mortality meetings.⁶