Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire, Liberal Democrat)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health

(1) what procedures are used to encourage patients to report anaesthetic awareness;

(2) how many cases of anaesthetic awareness have been recorded in England in each year since 1997;

(3) what procedures are used in the NHS to detect anaesthetic awareness; and what routine checks are made in hospitals to prevent its incidence.

Jane Kennedy (Minister of State, Department of Health; Liverpool, Wavertree, Labour)

There are currently no procedures to encourage specific reporting of anaesthetic awareness by patients and the Department does not routinely collect information about the number of cases.

However, the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) that we established in July 2001 to improve the safety of national health service patient care by promoting an open and fair culture has in place a national reporting and learning system for adverse events across the NHS. The NPSA is about to start a pilot to encourage patients to report all patient safety incidents, including those involving anaesthetic awareness.

The NPSA has also undertaken a review of the anaesthetic process. This involved taking a standard patient journey" and working through the whole process, identifying and analysing the risks. The NPSA is now in the process of identifying and prioritising areas for action and is being assisted in its work by a clinical speciality adviser (CSA) in anaesthetics and an anaesthetic reference group.

The most important contribution to patient safety in this area is the continuous presence of a highly trained and skilled anaesthetist who has the benefit of modern equipment to deliver and monitor the patient's condition. The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland, which represents more than 9,000 anaesthetists, has issued Minimum Standards for Monitoring" in recognition of the importance of monitoring the patient throughout an anaesthetic. The Association also launched its revised guidelines, Checking Anaesthetic Equipment", in 2004. The guidelines were developed jointly with the Royal College of Anaesthetists and their application by all anaesthetic staff will help to improve patient safety.