Draft SOP for Anaesthesia Associates
The final draft for the RCoA Scope of Practice for Anaesthesia Associates has been published at the RCoA website. RA-UK President Dr Nat Haslam was invited by the RCoA to sit on the core writing group, and was able to represent the views of the RA-UK board and the wider membership on this important topic.
A briefing has been made available, which contains the following explainer.
The AA curriculum and AARA require an AA to learn how to deliver simple regional blocks (SRB), but the specific blocks required have remained undefined. Following the introduction of the 2021 anaesthetic curriculum, it has become clear that there is an issue with the availability of both training opportunities and trainers within the delivery of regional anaesthesia as a practical skill on a national level. To this end, the CWG and Regional Anaesthesia-UK (RA-UK), supported by discussions at RCoA Council, have taken the view that regional anaesthesia does not need to be within the remit of AAs in clinical practice. The priority should remain to train AiTs, SAS anaesthetists and anaesthetic consultants in the delivery of regional anaesthesia while this gap in training, experience and practice persists.
Furthermore, RA-UK are of the opinion that in the context of AA practice an SRB relates to an infra-inguinal fascia-iliaca block (IIFIB) only. To protect patients from loss of a service, and to support AAs in established practice who are already delivering regional anaesthesia, transition arrangements have been proposed which will allow this to continue under specified governance structures and defined levels of supervision.
Paeds Plan A Subsite
We are pleased to announce, in association with APAGBI and ESPA, our brand new comprehensive we resource for Paediatric Plan A blocks. Following on from the posters and editorial, this section of the website contains a wealth of information on how to perform the 7 Plan A paediatric blocks. A host of brand new images and videos have been created, with more artwork to follow.
We hope you will enjoy this new area of the website.
NAP8
RA-UK was pleased that the RCoA has announced that NAP8 will be looking at complications of Regional Anaesthesia. We feel this is a hugely important topic to look at, and look forward to helping run it and to see the results.
In even more exciting news, it has been announced that our immediate past president Prof Alan MacFarlane was appointed to lead this National Audit. After so much behind the scenes work over a number of years, this is a well deserved recognition of his efforts (although he will say the hard work starts here I'm sure).
Further details can be found at the RCoA website.
Webinars
The webinar series is now finished. The last one featuring Gaston Labat award winner Professor Guy Weinberg discussing local anaesthetic toxicity should go online for viewing at your leisure later this week. Hopefully if you have tuned in they have been of use and if not you can still register and catch up (all for free) at the link below. Thank you to Dr Toby Ashken on the board who has coordinated the whole series, all the speakers who gave up their times to prepare and present, the chairs and also to Intelligent Ultrasound who kindly sponsored the series.
https://ra-uk-webinars.talkingslideshd.com/home
RAUK-BARA joint meeting
We are delighted to be teaming up with the Belgian Society of Regional Anaesthesia for a joint meeting in Bruges in November. The theme is Remembrance Day and there is a fantastic program lined up with a combination of Belgian and UK speakers, with Professor Harrop Griffiths featuring as the keynote speaker.
Save the dates: Fri 8th and Sat 9th November 2024
For more information or how to register click the link below:
BARA/RA-UK Joint meeting
