- Clinical monitoring by a vigilant anaesthetist is essential for safe patient care during anaesthesia. This clinical monitoring should be supplemented when necessary by appropriate devices to assist the practitioner responsible for the anaesthesia.
- A medical practitioner whose sole responsibility is the provision of anaesthetic care for that patient must be constantly present from induction of anaesthesia until safe transfer to Recovery Room staff or Intensive Care Unit has been accomplished. He should discharge patients from PACU.
- In exceptional circumstances brief absences of the anaesthetist primarily responsible for the anaesthetic may be unavoidable. In such circumstances that anaesthetist may temporarily delegate monitoring of the patient to an appropriately qualified person who is judged to be competent for the task.
- Permanent handover of responsibility must be to an anaesthetist who is able to accept continued responsibility for the care of the patient.
- The individual anaesthetist responsible for monitoring the patient should ensure that appropriate monitoring equipment is available.
- A medical practitioner whose sole responsibility is the provision of anaesthetic care for that patient must keep adequate records of the drugs used, record of observations and the status of the patient while under their care. A completed real time anaesthetic record is the evidence.
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