The Royal College of Anaesthetists

Who we are

The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) is the third largest Medical Royal College in the UK by membership. With a combined membership of 23,000 fellows and members, it represents and ensures the quality of patient care by safeguarding standards in the three specialties of anaesthesia, intensive care and pain medicine.

The College is the professional body responsible for the specialty of anaesthesia throughout the UK at all stages of our fellows and members careers. As anaesthetists, we have overall responsibility for patients' wellbeing before, during and after surgery. We are the lynchpin that holds secondary and tertiary care together and are the UK's largest hospital specialty.

16% of all hospital consultants are anaesthetists and over two-thirds of hospital in-patients will see an anaesthetist.