News
News items will appear on the home page for two months and in the News section for a period of six months.
If you require a news item older than six months, please search the Press Office Section of the site or contact the Association by email: press@aagbi.org giving further details.
 Evelyn Baker Medal - call for nominations
Nominations are now being accepted for the Evelyn Baker Medal.
For more information click here
NHS pension changes, Added Years
AAGBI Members are reminded that the NHS pension scheme has changed. Full details of the changes are available on the NHS pensions websites (http://www.nhspa.gov.uk) (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and (http://www.sppa.gov.uk) (Scotland) and can also be found on the BMA website (http://www.bma.org.uk.)
Ian Johnston
Hon. Membership Secretary, AAGBI
Launch of the National Institute for Academic Anaesthesia
The first meeting of the National Institute for Academic Anaesthesia (NIAA) took place on February 19th, 2008 at the RCoA Churchill House, London. The NIAA is a partnership of the four main national academic bodies in UK anaesthesia, namely The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain & Ireland (AAGBI), Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and the scientific journals Anaesthesia and British Journal of Anaesthesia.
The aims of the new National Institute are to:
(i) improve patient care by promoting the translation of research findings into clinical practice
(ii) facilitate high profile, influential research
(iii) support training and continuing professional education in academic anaesthesia
(iv) enhance the academic profile of anaesthesia within the healthcare profession, NHS, Universities and major research bodies.
To view a press release of the launch of the NIAA click here
Intensive Care Society - Manpower Census 2008
The Manpower Census, of the medical staff working in intensive care units, is important for all in the profession as well as for future planning. This is an exciting venture and all Consultants, Trainees’, NCCGs and Clinical Fellows working in intensive care are invited to take part, both members and non members of the Society. Data will be analysed by the Manpower Committee and results will be anonymised and published in JICS later in the year.
The link to the Census is via: www.ics.ac.uk/icmprof/manpower.asp
We would like to encourage as many medical staff working in ICU’s as possible to complete the Census. The deadline for completion is Friday 2nd May 2008.
Physicians’ Assistants (Anaesthesia) is the new title for Anaesthesia Practitioners
APs now become PA(A)s
The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain & Ireland (AAGBI) and the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA), with the full support of the Patient Liaison Group, have decided that the title Anaesthesia Practitioner will no longer be used and that the title Physicians’ Assistant (Anaesthesia), abbreviated to PA(A), will replace it in all current and future RCoA and AAGBI documents, guidelines and publications. This change has been made in the interests of accuracy, clarity and consistency.
> Read the full statement
Inaugural Meeting of the Subsection of Critical Care Medicine in Association with the Section of Anaesthesia of the Royal Society of Medicine.
On Friday 15 February 2008 the Inaugural Meeting of the Subsection of Critical Care Medicine in Association with the Section of Anaesthesia of the RSM will be held at The Royal Society of Medicine, 1 Wimpole Street, London, W1G 0AE
This will be a joint meeting with the Anaesthesia Section <http://www.rsm.ac.uk/academ/smtanaes.php> and further details are available on the RSM website
The AAGBI wish to highlight a potential hazard during prone anaesthesia and endorses the early warning released by the NPSA and RCoA. The three organisations are committed to working together to enhance patient safety.
> Download a copy of the report
The AAGBI, RCoA and SIVA UK have released a joint statement regarding the re-use of intravenous infusion equipment.
>To view a pdf of the statement please click here
The AAGBI have responded to the Tooke report on Modernising Medical Careers.
>To view a pdf of the letter please click here
The GAT committee has submitted a response to Sir John Tooke's interim report on Modernising Medical Careers.
To view a pdf of the letter please click here
The GAT committee has submitted a response to the recently published DOH/MMC document entitled “Recruitment to foundation and specialty training - Proposals for managing applications from medical graduates from outside the EEA.” (30 October 2007)
To view a pdf of the letter please click here
New Association guideline
The Association would like to announce the release Assistance for the Anaesthetist - A Report by the Irish Standing Commitee. Below is a summary of the recommendations
- The availability of assistance to the anaesthetist is considered to be of fundamental importance to the safe conduct of anaesthesia, as recommended by the AAGBI
- The Irish Standing Committee considers the availability of trained assistance to the Irish anaesthetist to be inadequate in relation to the standards set by the AAGBI
- Anaesthetic assistance is most often provided by nursing staff without a dedicated anaesthetic role.
- Anaesthetic departments currently have little role in the rostering of anaesthetic assistants. Communications between anaesthetic assistant managers and anaesthetic departments are informal and may benefit from a more structured approach
- The absence of a nationally identifiable core competency programme for anaesthetic assistants has led to variable practices within Irish hospitals
- Off-site locations are particularly vulnerable to practice variances and should be paid special attention when considering anaesthetic assistance.
- Early discussion about perceived inadequacies or potentially unsafe practices should be encouraged.
- Managers and fund holders should understand the role of the anaesthetic department in identifying failures in the provision of adequate anaesthetic assistance. Once notified of inadequacies, anaesthetic department recommendations should be acted upon in a timely fashion. Failure to act upon these recommendations should be cause for the withdrawal of anaesthetic services from the affected area.
- The Committee recommends the development of a national core competencies programme that will contribute to a quality improvement in anaesthesia delivery.
>Download a full version (link to PDF)
Tooke Report Published
The Tooke MMC Inquiry has today published its draft report, which can be downloaded from http://www.consultationfinder.com/econsult/uploaddocs/Consult1/MMC_InquiryReport.pdf or from http://www.mmcinquiry.org.uk/draft.htm
If members wish to submit comments to the AAGBI, they will be considered for inclusion in our official consultation response. Email comments to honsecretary@aagbi.org
ACCEA Processes
Two ACCEA documents are available for download here. One is the English application form that members should use when submitting CVQs to the AAGBI. The other is advice on applications from ACCEA. They have been sent to all English Linkmen. Please share these with your colleagues.
Application Form
Advice on applications from ACCEA
Wales has a similar process to England in that the AAGBI can provde citations for higher awards. However, a different form must be used. Please note that a similar process will be in place for Scotland (SACDA) nominations and that this will be posted soon.
All English forms are now allegedly downloadable from the ACCEA website http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/accea/2008round.htm
The Honorary Secretary has tried to download the forms but has not yet succeeded.
The GAT committee has today submitted a response to the recently published MMC consultation document. (26 September 2007)
To view a pdf of the letter please click here
The Royal College of Anaesthetists Announces ‘Safety in Clinical Practice’ Conference, 18-19 0ctober, 2007, Opened by HRH the Princess Royal
The Royal College of Anaesthetists (http://www.rcoa.ac.uk), the professional body representing anaesthesia in the UK - together with the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (http://www.aagbi.org) - will present a two day ‘Safety in Clinical Practice’ conference on 18-19 October, 2007, to be opened by HRH The Princess Royal.
The two day conference will be a major departure from the traditional style of educational meetings, incorporating many practical elements and a wealth of interactive, hands-on content. The event is designed to stimulate discussion on increasing anaesthesia safety. It features a series of short presentations, after which attendees can meet several anaesthetic equipment manufacturers, medical device regulatory bodies, and a selection of other groups which have a major interest in anaesthesia safety.
The afternoon sessions involve hands-on workshops that show attendees how new equipment and critical incident simulation can improve the safety of the delivery of anaesthetics.
The conference will also launch ‘National Audit Project 4’, involving anaesthetists and other healthcare professionals on improving airway management for increased patient safety.
Dr Judith Hulf, President of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and Dr David Whitaker, President of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland, have stated their delight that HRH The Princess Royal has kindly agreed to attend this prestigious event. Together both organisations represent their members for all aspects of anaesthesia practice and royal patronage of the conference strongly reinforces the drive toward continuing to focus on patient safety as the principal concern for all anaesthetists.
The ‘Safety in Clinical Practice’ conference will take place at Churchill House, Red Lion Square, London, from 9am to 5pm on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 October.
> Programme information
ACCEA – time to act
(18 September 2007)
As was mentioned in my article in September’s Anaesthesia News, the AAGBI is a “Specialist Society” as defined by the Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards, or “ACCEA” as it is known to its friends. This means that the AAGBI can nominate members for National Clinical Excellence Awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum), submitting citations to the committee that may help members achieve appropriate recognition for their hard work. The AAGBI has established an assessment and ranking process in accordance with ACCEA guidelines. Members are invited to submit their Curriculum Vitae Questionnaires (CVQs) to the AAGBI. Blank CVQ forms are available from http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/accea. The AAGBI will convene a group that will objectively assess and rank the submissions at each award level. The group will include senior national award holders, local award holders and lay representation. The ranked list of nominations will be formally submitted to the ACCEA. Completed CVQs should be emailed to president@aagbi.org. The absolute deadline for submissions is 15th November. If you have any questions about this process, please email me on honsecretary@aagbi.org.
Will Harrop-Griffiths
AAGBI statement in response to the recent Australian study on Nitrous Oxide
9th August 2007
Nitrous oxide or higher oxygen
The Association of Anaesthetists welcomes the report of the Nitrous Oxide study recently published by the Australian based group1. It is most likely however that the beneficial effects seen in patients not receiving any nitrous oxide were due to the much higher oxygen levels (80%) that they were given instead. It is unfortunate that a further group of patients receiving no nitrous oxide but the same 30% oxygen was not included in the study to avoid this misunderstanding.
Higher oxygen levels have previously demonstrated beneficial effects in other studies of anaesthesia for major surgery and were recently mentioned in connection with the NICE practice guideline for surgical site infection. Higher oxygen levels are already used with anaesthesia for major surgery in this country e.g. bowel cancer resection, cardiac surgery and neurosurgery.
A large multicentre study to improve anaesthesia for patients such as this would be difficult to perform in the United Kingdom at the moment because of the difficulties of obtaining large-scale funding particularly from MRC / NHS sources for anaesthesia research. The Association of Anaesthetists Education and Research Trust charity remains one of the largest single donors and provided over £300,000 last year.
1 Myles, P et al: Avoidance of Nitrous Oxide for Patients Undergoing Major Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Anesthesiology 2007; 107(2): 221-231
|