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Anaesthesia is an essential part of the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (PSS), highlighting how practices manage patient safety and clinical care.
It provides a clear framework for demonstrating good clinical governance, supporting consistent team training and confident inspection readiness.

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Core Standards

The foundation for all RCVS-accredited practices.


Core Standards ensure compliance with essential legal, ethical, and safety obligations, including:

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  • Trained personnel monitoring anaesthesia

  • Servicing and maintenance of anaesthetic equipment

  • Effective scavenging and monitoring of gases

  • Annual exposure checks

  • Accurate anaesthetic records for every patient

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Documents required:

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  • Training records

  • Anaesthetic charts

  • Equipment service certificates

  • Gas monitoring results

Image by Etactics Inc

General Practice Standards

Recognises practices that go beyond the basics ensuring structured anaesthetic procedures and consistent patient safety.


Expectations include:

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  • Species-appropriate circuits and equipment

  • Daily safety checks and resuscitation box logs

  • SOPs for emergencies and pollutant reduction

  • Completed anaesthetic charts

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Documents required:

 

  • Daily check logs

  • SOPs

  • Emergency drug chart

  • Completed anaesthetic charts

Image by Claudio Schwarz

Hospital Standards

The highest level of accreditation, representing advanced anaesthetic facilities, 24-hour care, and continual monitoring.


Expectations include:

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  • Continuous monitoring by a trained team member (including OOH)

  • Multi-parameter monitoring (ECG, BP, SpOâ‚‚, temperature, etc.)

  • A range of induction and maintenance agents

  • Archived anaesthetic records and patient handover documentation

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Documents required:

 

  • Anaesthetic and handover records

  • Equipment service certificates

  • Monitoring SOPs

Award Points

Practices can earn additional recognition through Outstanding or Good awards.

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Evidence may include:

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  • CPD or postgraduate qualifications in anaesthesia

  • Local anaesthetic techniques

  • Clinical audits

  • SOPs for cleaning

  • Advanced monitoring and staff training

 

Supporting evidence:

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  • CPD certificates

  • Audit reports

  • Cleaning SOPs

  • Anaesthetic training records

Building Anaesthesia Standards Into Everyday Practice

Once your systems are in place, it’s about embedding good habits across the team.

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Strong documentation, clear SOPs, and regular internal checks make compliance simple and effective.

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Tips for ongoing compliance:

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  • Review protocols quarterly

  • Assign an Anaesthesia Lead

  • Keep anaesthetic charts attached to patient records

  • Run regular in-house audits and refresher sessions

Digital Tools to Support Compliance

Our digital resources make PSS compliance easier and fully inspection-ready:

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  • Anaesthetic Checklists – pre- and post-procedure safety checks

  • Training Record Templates – evidence of staff competency

  • Charcoal Fluorosorber Weighing Charts – monitor waste gas compliance

  • SOP Templates – for anaesthetic emergencies and pollutant control

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All the templates and tools mentioned here are available together in the PSS Module 1 – Anaesthesia Digital Bundle.

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Each tool aligns with the RCVS framework and can be used across Core, General Practice, and Hospital levels.

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Available as a complete download to save time and keep your PSS documentation consistent.​

PSS Support Series

Follow the PSS Support Series every Friday for the next module helping your practice strengthen systems and celebrate success.

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