Job summary
Internal Only

An excellent opportunity has arisen to work in the Surgery and Families Care Group as an Anaesthetic Airway Lead, supporting the Anaesthetic Department Cross bay to develop their advanced airway skills, so providing excellence in patient safety.

We are looking for an excellent communicator who is a forward thinking, positive and highly motivated individual. You will support colleagues by providing high quality teaching, regular updates from agencies such as the Difficult Airway Society, as well as keeping up to date on all recent airway developments.

There is also the opportunity to re-run the regional difficult airway course for resident and portfolio pathway doctors.

Main duties of the job

• Overseeing local airway training for anaesthetists and assisting in airway training more widely
• Ensuring local policies exist and are disseminated for predictable airway emergencies
• Ensuring that difficult airway equipment is appropriate to the local (and national) guidelines and appropriately standardised within the organisation
• Liaising specifically with the Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Department to ensure consistency of standards and practice
• Actively engaging in airway device procurement
• Ensuring consistency of airway assessment and planning
• Ensuring best practice in management of patients at risk of aspiration and the obese
• Overseeing QI of airway assessment, guideline adherence and complications
• Assisting in responding to national surveys and compliance with national audits directly relating to airway management, in collaboration with the local Quality Audit & Research Coordinator

About us
We operate from three main hospitals - Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), and Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal, as well as a number of community healthcare premises including Millom Hospital and GP Practice, Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe, and Ulverston Community Health Centre.

FGH and the RLI have a range of General Hospital services, with full Emergency Departments, Critical/Coronary Care units and various Consultant-led services.

WGH provides a range of General Hospital services, together with an Urgent Treatment Centre, that can help with a range of non-life threatening conditions such as broken bones and minor illnesses.

All three main hospitals provide a range of planned care including outpatients, diagnostics, therapies, daycase and inpatient surgery. In addition, a range of local outreach services and diagnostics are provided from community facilities across Morecambe Bay.

Our Community Service for adults are provided in people's homes ,community centres, clinics, GP Practices, community hospitals. Our aim is to work with people to help them remain independent , improve their health and manage their conditions through high quality care , advice and support.

Details
Date posted: 05 August 2026
Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Specialty Doctor
Salary: £63,696 to £150,569 a year
Dependant on experience
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 3 years
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 331-L0610826
Job locations: RLI or FGH
Lancaster or Barrow in Furness
LA1 4RP
United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
The RCoA-DAS departmental airway lead (AWL) has been defined as an anaesthetist working at grass roots level promoting safe airway management within their hospital. The appointment of an AWL is strongly recommended by the RCoA (Guidelines for the Provision of Anaesthetic Services for ENT, Oral Maxillofacial and Dental Surgery, 2024) the Difficult Airway Society (DAS), and was one of the key recommendations of the NAP4 report (2011). The formal recommendation for this post to be adopted in all hospitals emphasises the importance of safe airway management and the important leadership role the department of anaesthesia can take in airway management across the hospital. The role is suitable to be undertaken by a permanent anaesthetist within the department e.g. Consultant or SAS doctor. In response to a request for a job description of the AWL this document sets out indicative responsibilities. It is apparent that local logistics will influence the size of the role, the priorities and specific responsibilities. Local flexibility in defining the role is both necessary and encouraged. The following is only a broad indication of areas of responsibility: overseeing regular airway training for anaesthetists and assisting in airway training more widely NB Providing regular training on emergency airway skills such as managing an unpredicted airway difficulty, e-FONA, and promoting the guidance on prevention of unrecognised oesophageal intubation, are of particular importance. up to date with RCoA curriculum airway training requirements ensuring consistency of airway assessment and planning eg aspiration risk and obesity ensuring local policies exist and are disseminated for predictable airway emergencies ensuring that airway equipment for both routine and emergency use is appropriate to local and national guidelines, standardised within the organisation, and their use encouraged actively engaging in airway device procurement The AWL should provide leadership and practical support in all relevant matters. Further responsibilities would include: liaising specifically with the Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Department to ensure consistency of standards and practice overseeing audit of airway assessment, guideline adherence and complications investigating adverse outcomes and supporting those involved engaging with DAS core projects eg DAS difficult airway database and eFONA registry assisting in responding to national surveys and compliance with national audits directly relating to airway management Much of this work may already be performed in an ad hoc manner in hospitals that have not previously had a departmental AWL. The formal designation of a department AWL aims to improve the uptake and reliability of this role. Requirements to support the role The RCoA cannot impose the allocation of SPA activity on hospitals. However, the formal recognition of this role by the RCoA does help those seeking local recognition of this work in job and SPA planning. The amount of SPA will be influenced by what can reasonably be delivered and should be proportional to the size of the department. However, a minimum allocation of 0.25 is suggested. The RCoA maintains a database of departmental airway leads, which it will share with DAS. Airway leads may be contacted by the RCoA or DAS.

Person Specification
Evidence considered on application and interview
Essential

• Knowledge of National and regional policies regarding airway
• Demonstrable evidence of interest in difficult airway education

Desirable

• Recent attendance at national/ Regional meetings

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust
Address: RLI or FGH
Lancaster or Barrow in Furness
LA1 4RP
United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.uhmb.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Consultant Anaesthetist and Clinical lead
Corinne Rimmer
corinne.rimmer@mbht.nhs.uk
01524516117

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.