Anaesthetics

If you need to visit hospital for any kind of procedure, it’s the job of the Anaesthetics Department to make sure this is a pain-free experience.

Our staff are very highly skilled, courteous and extremely professional. You can be assured that they will do everything possible to minimise any discomfort.

Anaesthetics are used in many hospital procedures. These include emergency surgery, children’s services and maternity services. They are also used to minimize discomfort during many routine procedures or tests.

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Team

Our highly skilled and experienced team of anaesthetists includes 39 consultants, five associate specialists and seven staff grades, along with fully supervised trainees from both the Birmingham and Stoke onTrent Schools of Anaesthesia.

Services

There are, broadly, two kinds of anaesthetic procedure:

Local anaesthetic – this is often used for minor surgery, or for other procedures that would otherwise be uncomfortable. The patient is given an injection that makes a small area go completely numb – a bit like being at the dentist. This allows the procedure to take place while the patient is awake, and without feeling any pain at all.

General anaesthetic  – this is when a patient is put completely to sleep to allow a more serious operation to take place. Patients may be given a sedative first – something to make them feel a bit drowsy – before being given an injection that puts them completely to sleep for several hours. The injection works in just a few seconds, and the patient won’t feel any pain at all. An anaesthetist will be present throughout the operation to monitor the situation, and keep the surgeon informed of the patient’s condition.

Our staff hold pre-admission clinics every week to discuss relevant issues with patients to make sure that nothing in their medical history causes a conflict with the treatment planned. This meeting will also address any issues or concerns a patient may have about undergoing surgery.

Patient Stories

Please feel free to share your experiences of this service. Please e-mail your views to swbh.comms@nhs.net

Contacts

Dr S. Kannan, Divisional Director 0121 507 4343.