• Hospital Anaesthesia Services
• Pre-Anaesthetic Assessment
• IV Access
• Obstetric Analgesia & Anaesthesia
• Antenatal Education
• Acute Pain Management
• Chronic Pain Management
• Medical Education
• Hospital Management
• Medical Organisations

Group anaesthetists provide services at the Royal Hobart Hospital, Calvary Hospital, St Helens Hospital, St Johns Hospital and the Hobart Day Surgery Unit. The services include a wide range of anaesthesia care, acute pain management, resuscitation and intensive care support.

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Assessment before anaesthesia is an integral part of specialist anaesthetic practice. However, with the pressures of shorter hospital stay we provide the ability for patients to have an anaesthetic consultation, at our rooms at 303 Macquarie Street, some time prior to their hospital admission. This is especially applicable to patients who are to undergo complex procedures, have severe medical illnesses or specific anaesthesia related concerns or problems. Ideally this consultation should occur the week before the intended hospital admission.

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Intravenous access is one of our particular advanced skills and we are commonly called upon as a specialist consultation in order to insert a `drip` or other intravenous device. Our expertise is commonly required with children and patients on chemotherapy agents or who have had multiple IV access in the past.

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We provide an on-call service to provide obstetric analgesia and anaesthesia to patients at Calvary Hospital and the Queen Alex Division of the Royal Hobart Service. Advanced epidural and spinal pain relief techniques and medications are used to meet the needs of the woman in labour. Anaesthesia (both regional and general) are provided for elective and emergency Caesarian Section as well as other Obstetric procedures.

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Group members set up and are involved in providing antenatal education in anaesthesia and pain relief as part of the Calvary Hospital Antenatal Education Programme. We use a video explaining epidural pain relief as part of our education segment. These classes are popular and provide and excellent opportunity to address any concerns or information needs..

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Advanced acute pain management techniques are commonly utilised by Group Anaesthetists in order to make patients comfortable after surgery, injury or during illness. These techniques are provided in all the hospitals in Hobart and may also require specialised nursing care in a High Dependency or Critical Care Unit whilst under the care of an anaesthetist.

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Dr Rob Paton provides a specific Chronic Pain Management Service which involves consulations in hospital or at the rooms at 303 Macquarie Street. This service is based on referral from specialist. Various implantable devices and advanced techniques are available in order to help patients cope better with chronic or cancer pain.

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Many medical and nursing students, anaesthesia trainees, other medical practitioners and paramedical staff have received education from Group members. One Group Anaesthetist is currently an examiner in the Anaesthesia Specialist training examinations.

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Group members are involved in a wide variety of management committees at all the hospital that we service. These include not only providing management advice on anaesthesia services but also involvement in numerous hospital, medical, nursing and quality assurance committees.

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Group members have provided and continue to provide a significant contribution to state, national and international anaesthesia and other medical organisations. These include President of Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA), current Vice President of the Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA), state President of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), ANZCA Councilors, AMA Federal Executive, ANZCA Regional Committee Chairmen, ASA State Committee Chairmen, Tasmanian Medical Council, Tasmanian Ambulance Service and Tasmanian Medical Protection Society.

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