Anaesthesia, Perioperative Medicine and Pain Management

The anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain management speciality supports a national portfolio of structured research studies in anaesthesia and perioperative medicine as well as the management of acute and chronic pain. We support researchers to deliver high quality studies to time and target in the NHS. We do this by engaging with the existing research community and developing the research infrastructure locally.

How can we make sure people are fit for surgery, improve safety in the operating theatre, and ensure better recovery after major operations?

Our research aims to improve surgical outcomes by looking at all stages of the surgical journey.

We are using the following approaches:

Giving people a better chance before surgery: we are undertaking research to identify high-risk patients and to optimise their health status before surgery. This includes getting them fitter and treating pre-existing medical conditions.

Using new technology to give us accurate information: there are already measures in place to ensure that major surgery is safe, but the figures show that there is room for improvement. We need sensitive technology to monitor, evaluate and alert clinicians appropriately, particularly to try and minimise injuries caused by medical intervention.

Training clinical teams to prevent human error: human factors research has shown that training can reduce complications and death resulting from surgery. Our research informs training of clinical teams to understand the mechanisms of human error and how to prevent it.

Find anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain management studies in your area using the map below:

Click here for anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain management research news from across England.

Visit the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust website for information on anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain management studies taking place in Berkshire.

Visit the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust website for information on anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain management studies taking place in Buckinghamshire.

Visit the Milton Keynes University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust website for information on anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain management studies taking place in Milton Keynes.

Visit the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust website for information on anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain management studies taking place in Oxfordshire.

Find studies you could participate in at bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk.