Elective open operations Emergency open operations Membership of the Vascular Anaesthesia Society of Great Britain and Ireland (VASGBI) Volume of cases done by anaesthetists Use of epidural anaesthesia Blood loss in open operations Temperature Monitoring and vasoactive drugs Destination after surgery Mechanical ventilation after surgery

The anaesthetist >> Elective open operations

A consultant anaesthetist was involved in 97% of cases.

Table 7. Grade of the most senior anaesthetist present at the start of anaesthesia
Grade of anaesthetist	Total	%
Consultant	351	93
Associate specialist	4	1
SpR year 3+	20	5
SpR year 1/2	2	<1
Other	1	<1
Sub-total	378
Not answered	56
Total	434

Of the 27 non-consultant responses, a more senior anaesthetist took over responsibility during the operation in 14 cases. From the data available, a consultant anaesthetist started the operation in 93% (Table 7) of cases and had a part in 97%.

This probably represents excellent practice. However, the question was not completed in 13% (56/434) of cases. If a consultant had been present at the start of operation in all the cases with missing data, 94% of operations would have been started by a consultant anaesthetist: if a consultant had been present for none of the cases with missing data, 81% would have been started by a consultant.