Safety recommendation
HSSIB recommends that the Royal College of Anaesthetists makes changes to its Guidelines for the Provision of Anaesthetic Services (GPAS) requirements for all anaesthetists, to include guidance on:
- requirements for anaesthetists to have access to videolaryngoscopes in all locations where anaesthesia is delivered and airway management takes place
- requirements for all anaesthetists to be competent and skilled in the use of videolaryngoscopes
- requirements for anaesthetists to be regularly updated on airway rescue techniques, such as emergency front of neck airway
- requirements for anaesthetists and anaesthetic assistants to be regularly updated on other equipment that may be used in airway emergencies. This will support anaesthetic staff to become familiar with and competent in the use of airway rescue equipment and techniques available locally.
Response:
The Guidelines for the Provision of Anaesthetic Services (GPAS) are updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that GPAS recommendations are in line with the latest available evidence. The changes recommended will be considered by the authors and integrated into the next version of GPAS. These GPAS recommendations will feed into the standards for our Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA) scheme, which will help to promote their implementation.
Action planned to deliver safety recommendation:
- Updated version of GPAS republished, by January 2025.
Response received on 18 April 2024.