Tim Cook

Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Royal United Hospital, Bath

Honorary Professor of Anaesthesia University of Bristol

Director of National Audit Projects

College Advisor on Airway

I work in Bath and am a full time DGH consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine. I have been fortunate to have been centrally involved in five Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) National Audit Projects learning from major complications of anaesthesia: as clinical lead for NAP3 and 4 (NAP3 - epidurals/spinal anaesthesia, NAP4 - airway management) and as co-lead and director of the program for NAP5-7 (NAP5 - accidental awareness during general anaesthesia – undoubtedly the most ‘patient facing’ of all NAPs to date - NAP6 - perioperative anaphylaxis and NAP7- perioperative cardiac arrest which launched in May 2021). These big projects involve the nation’s anaesthetists and intensivists collaborating to shine a light on patient-centred aspects of anaesthetic practice and safety. They are a form of professional-citizen science and are recognised to have changed the landscape of UK anaesthesia clinical practice and anaesthesia research engagement. The projects have all had important lessons for critical care too.

Like many colleagues I have an overall interest in improving safety and quality in anaesthesia and intensive care using a bottom-up approach.

During the COVID-19 pandemic my interests have included the differential impact of COVID-19 on healthcare staff, aerosol science and clinician safety, survival from ICU and airway management.