Anaesthesia and good pain management play a vital role in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients at The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH). Our specialist paediatric anaesthetists work in close collaboration with other departments to provide exceptional patient care. Patient safety is paramount. Our anaesthetists are involved in the assessment of patients before their procedure to select the most appropriate anaesthetic technique for each patient. We endeavour to keep all patients and their families informed about what they will experience before and after their surgery.

In the operating theatre, our anaesthetists expertly monitor all patients continuously using the most modern equipment available. Our involvement extends into the postoperative period, providing an around the clock pain management service to ensure that all patients are kept as comfortable as possible. We also provide services outside of the operating theatres including a multidisciplinary chronic pain management clinic for children.

Our anaesthetists have published widely and are involved in research as well as advisory and educational roles outside of the RCH. We strive to improve and continue the high standard of care that has maintained our department's pioneering role in Paediatric Anaesthesia and world class status.

Our roles

• Anaesthetic services provision within the RCH for surgery and medical imaging procedures
• Acute and Procedural Pain Management Service (available 24 hour, 7 days per week)
• Multidisciplinary Paediatric Chronic Pain Management Clinic
• Anaesthesia Vascular access service
• Postgraduate training in Paediatric Anaesthesia and Pain Management
• The department promotes safety in Anaesthesia and encourages members to be involved in outside committees and activities in the hospital, nationally and internationally

Anaesthesia technologists

Anaesthesia technologists provide highly skilled assistance to the anaesthetist and are an integral part of the Anaesthesia Team at the RCH. Anaesthesia technologists assist with the administration of general and regional anaesthesia to all our patient groups, including non surgical patients. Anaesthesia technologists prepare the anaesthetic environment and equipment required by anaesthetists for safe airway management, advanced invasive physiological monitoring, intravenous therapies and environmental temperature control and monitoring. They assist during resuscitation and emergency procedures. The anaesthesia technologist group also operate the Intraoperative Cell Salvage and Autotransfusion Service within the operating suite.