Anaesthetics

Anaesthetics are given to allow patients to tolerate medical procedures and operations without distress.

Currently, we have a team of more than 80 permanent doctors who provide anaesthetic services to:

• Cheltenham General Hospital (CGH)
• Gloucestershire Royal Hospital (GRH)
• Stroud Hospital
• Tewkesbury Hospital
• Lydney Hospital
• Tetbury Hospital
• The Dilke (clinics only)
• Cirencester Hospital (clinics only)

In the last year we provided anaesthetic care to 42,644 patients having operations.

Anaesthetists are highly trained doctors who work in many areas of the hospital in addition to providing anaesthetics for operations.

Operating Theatre

We provide anaesthesia to allow you to tolerate operations and procedures in comfort and safety. This may be a local anaesthetic where you remain awake, a local anaesthetic with sedation to make you drowsy or a full general anaesthetic where you will be asleep.

Before your operation you will pre-assessed either in a special clinic or by the surgical team whose care you are under. You will be asked questions about your current and past health, medications and appropriate investigations - which may include blood tests, X-ray and a heart tracing - will be ordered. Your anaesthetist will see you before the operation to find out details about your health, test results and any concerns you may have and will work with you to plan your anaesthetic and post-operative pain relief.

After your operation you will be transferred to the Recovery Ward where a team of skilled nurses will look after you until you return to your post-operative ward.

Pre-assessment Clinic

It is important that your general health is as good as it can be before you have an operation.

You will have a full history, examination and appropriate tests, which may include blood tests, X-ray and a heart tracing (NICE guidelines) carried out before you come in for your operation.

You will be asked about any medication you are taking so it is a good idea to bring a list of what you take and when, with you. Y

ou will be given instructions about what medications to take or stop. In general you should stop any herbal or homeopathic medications (those not prescribed by a doctor) 14 days before your operation.

This visit is also an opportunity for you to highlight any particular concern or worries you may have. Find out more about your pre-operative assessment.

Resuscitation

The anaesthetist is a key member of the hospital resuscitation team and will be called to provide care to any critically unwell patient anywhere in the hospital. We provide care to patients admitted to the Emergency Department (A&E) who have been involved in trauma or who are severely ill.

Resuscitation Council UK

Delivery Suite

There is always an anaesthetist in the Maternity Unit. They provide pain relief services for women in labour which may be epidurals or patient-controlled analgesia. They are there to help care for mothers who may experience health problems in labour and to provide anaesthesia for those requiring operative delivery .

For further information, please view the Obstetric Anaesthesia pages (listed on the right).

Pain relief

Anaesthetists have great expertise in treating pain; both acute pain following operations or injury and also long-standing pain problems. These services are provided by the Acute Pain Team and Chronic Pain Service. In the last year the Chronic Pain team saw 2,660 new and 2,417 follow up patients in outpatient clinics and provided pain management to over 3,000 people.

Acute and Chronic Pain

Critical Care

Both Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire Royal have Intensive Care and High Dependancy Units run by anaesthetists with a special interest in the discipline. Further information can be found on the Department of Critical Care section.

Critical Care

Contact details

You can contact us by phone:

• Gloucestershire Royal Hospital Anaesthetic Office - 0300 422 6812
• Cheltenham General Hospital Anaesthetic Office - 0300 422 4143