Prof docs monthly update: April 2025

Under development/review* 

This section has existing versions hyperlinked.

• PS08 Position statement on the assistant for the anaesthetist and PS08BP (internal review)
• (PM) Scope of clinical practice for specialist pain medicine physicians (under development)
• (PM) Statement on provision of pain medicine care to children and adolescents (under development)
• (PM) Statement on multidisciplinary pain services (under development)
• PS10(PM) Statement on "Medicinal Cannabis" with particular reference to its use in the management of patients with chronic non-cancer pain and PS10(PM) BP (under review)
• PS12(PM) Position statement on the use of ketamine in the management of chronic non-cancer pain and PS12(PM) BP (under review)

*Please refer to CP24 Professional document process for further details on the internal review (IR) process. 

Stakeholder consultation* 

• PS19 Position statement on monitored care by an anaesthetist and PS19BP (IR)
• PG28 Guideline on infection control in anaesthesia and PS28BP 
• PG44 Guideline on advice for retraining or further training in anaesthesia and pain medicine and PG44BP
• PG46 Guideline on training and practice of perioperative cardiac ultrasound in adults and PG46BP
• PG48 Guideline on the administrative management of substance use disorder in medical practitioners in anaesthesia and pain medicine and PG48BP
• PG69 Guideline on the prevention, investigation and follow up of perioperative hypersensitivity reactions and anaphylaxis and PG69BP

*Revised documents will be published on the ANZCA website when approved for PILOT.

Pilot

• PS02 Position statement on credentialling and defining the scope of clinical practice in anaesthesia and PS02BP (ends August 2025)
• PG18 Guideline on monitoring during anaesthesia and PG18BP (IR, ends July 2025)
• PG56 Guideline on equipment to manage difficult airways and PG56BP (IR, ends July 2025)
• PS45 Position statement on patients' rights to pain management and associated responsibilities and PS45BP (ends August 2025)
• CP25 Policy on endorsement and support of externally developed guidelines and CP25BP (ends August 2025)

Post pilot review

• PG52 Guideline for transport of critically ill patients and PG52BP 2025

Final version

• PG47 Guideline on training and practice of perioperative point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) and PG47BP 
• PS15(PM) Statement on the clinical approach to persistent pelvic pain including endometriosis-associated pain 2025 (including its background paper PS15(PM)BP) 2025

We encourage feedback on all professional documents during the pilot phase. If you have any comments or queries regarding professional documents please email us.

Expressions of interest

We are seeking expressions of interest from fellows to participate in the development or review of the following professional documents: 

• the development of a new professional document to address the clinical practice and safety issues related to the insertion, management and removal of Central Venous Catheters. This is with a particular emphasis on mechanical (not infectious) complications. These issues have been highlighted in safety reports and recent bulletin articles from WebAIRs.
• the review of PS64 Position statement on environmental sustainability in anaesthesia and pain medicine practice 2019 and accompanying background paper PS64BP
• the review of PG31 Guideline on checking anaesthesia delivery systems 2014 and accompanying background paper PG31BP. We are seeking interest from fellows with particular interest, experience or expertise in this area. Recommendations for other people with expertise, eg biomedical engineers, would also be considered.

The development and review of ANZCA prof docs is undertaken by a document development group (DDG) made up of fellows with expertise and knowledge aligned to the particular document. DDG members may include non-anaesthetists to provide external perspectives where applicable and collaborate to develop and review professional documents via email and zoom meetings at times that fit their schedules.

Serving as a DDG member provides a valuable opportunity to contribute to safety and quality of care for patients.

If you are interested in being nominated for the aforementioned prof doc DDGs, please email us for further information.

Expressions of interest - FPM

We’re looking for FPM fellows to help contribute to: 

• The development of a new statement on spinal cord stimulation

Contact the faculty for more information.