Obstetric Anaesthesia

The Women's Centre at the John Radcliffe Hospital looks after over 6000 pregnant mothers each year.  It is a tertiary referral centre for complicated pregnancies and has an international reputation for the management of pregnancy induced hypertension.  Many women require the services of the obstetric anaesthetist.  The caesarean section rate is over 20% and more than 40% request regional blocks for labour analgesia.  There is therefore a wealth of clinical material providing excellent opportunities for education and research.

There are eight consultant anaesthetists with a specialist interest in obstetrics, with sixteen consultant sessions on the Delivery Suite.  Elective caesarean sections take place each morning and are supervised by one of the consultants usually working with a trainee.  An additional consultant is responsible for providing regional analgesia in labour, postnatal review and antenatal assessment.  An antenatal anaesthetic assessment clinic takes place on Tuesday mornings.  There are 12 delivery rooms and three operating theatres.  A nine bedded unit for the management of high-risk antenatal patients and postoperative care is situated next to the delivery suite.

There are weekly Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality meetings, weekly Silver Star (high risk pregnancy) meetings, monthly Risk Management meetings, and fortnightly Obstetric Anaesthesia meetings. In addition there is a structured tutorial programme with Consultants giving regular tutorials on obstetric anaesthesia on a weekly basis.

An Advanced Training Module in obstetric anaesthesia is available. On completion of the advanced training module, the trainee should have achieved a level of knowledge and experience for competent independent management of obstetric anaesthesia and analgesia.  The Trainee should have been actively involved in research and teaching and should have reached a level of competence suitable to take on the post of a consultant in obstetric anaesthesia. Appointment is in open competition and selection is by interview.

Obstetric Advanced Training Module Job Description and Prospectus [pdf file download]

An Advanced Training Module in Obstetric Anaesthesia is also available at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.