AAGBI POSITION Statement

15 Oct 2007

Statement on Anaesthesia Practitioners (APs)

Fellows and members of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) will be aware that jointly we have developed a curriculum and training process for the Anaesthesia Practitioner (Physicians’ Assistant Anaesthesia) (AP) grade. Patient safety has been of paramount importance at all stages of development of the AP programme and any deviation from the agreed and recognised training may endanger that principle. We only support the training or employment of APs, from those within the nationally approved AP programme validated by the Universities of Birmingham, Hertfordshire, Hull and Edinburgh.

To date five practitioners have completed the programme and a further thirty five are currently completing their final exams. There is currently no professional regulatory body for this group so all will be offered affiliate status of the RCoA upon graduation from the programme.

For the avoidance of confusion the College and the Association do not support any alternative strategies and have categorically declined to give professional support to any other pilot programme. We continue to advise all Fellows, Members, practising anaesthetists and employers against being involved in any such initiatives.

David Whitaker, President, AAGBI
Judith Hulf, President, RCoA

For information please contact Claire Elliott, Communications Officer, 020 7631 8817, press@aagbi.org