Taken from the December 2019 edition of Anaesthesia News and available to non-members for a limited time...
As an Anaesthesia Associate I have had the ability to cause controversy in an anaesthetic department just because of the role that I undertake, so being asked if I work in a good department poses an interesting question!
I have worked as several different roles within the operating theatre, starting out as a Theatre Aide, then an ODP, and since 2007 as an Anaesthesia Associate within three different anaesthetic departments. I would say they were all ‘good departments’ if not great, but in different ways. For example, the department that supported me in becoming an Anaesthesia Associate offered me expert training and mentoring, both academically and procedurally; it was also an early adopter of the Anaesthesia Associate 2-1 model of anaesthesia care. I qualified as an Anaesthesia Associate in 2010, and in 2011 I left for an opportunity to work in a trust with a rapidly expanding Anaesthesia Associate workforce - it was closer to home too! We had great working relationships with most members of the department, it was supportive and gave me the chance to hone my skills and learn new ones, but more importantly the department supported me while I had three children. This trust had the correct clinical governance in place for me to learn new skills such as spinals and some regional anaesthesia, which I enjoyed greatly.
In 2016 I moved to a new Trust, a large university hospital with no experience of Anaesthesia Associates. It was a leap of faith moving from a ‘great’ department, where I had an established role, to one where this had to be developed, but the challenge of working in a highly-regarded department was an opportunity not to be missed. For the first few months the department supported the Anaesthesia Associates by allowing us time to ‘bed in’, build relationships, work out appropriate lists and developed relevant local clinical governance. This is my current department, which offers me daily rewarding challenges, supports me in my role on the Anaesthesia Associate Association, and supports me personally with family life (and triathlon training!). It’s the little things that are important as well, such as the annual Christmas quiz, large sociable department office and great secretaries. Inevitably there are problems such as staffing issues but, for me, it’s a great department and I thoroughly enjoy working here!
What links all these three departments are challenges, opportunities, teamwork, support (personal and work), rewards and a friendly accepting department looking to evolve and adapt to workforce challenges. The future holds further interesting developments, with the imminent regulation and registration of Anaesthesia Associates with the GMC. For instance, my department will need to support us with regard to more non-clinical professional time to achieve the required amount of CPD hours/ points.
Matthew Harris
Anaesthesia Associate
University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust