Peri‐Operative Care and Collaboration Between Surgeons and Anaesthetists – it’s About Time

In hospital care, arguably nothing comes closer than the working relationship between surgeon and anaesthetist. Their joint endeavour to keep patients alive and well, while they undergo surgery, creates a bond that is strong and rewarding. Initially, this working relationship focused on the surgical procedure itself, but as time has passed, it has become obvious that optimal care requires careful pre‐operative patient assessment and good postoperative care, in addition. The roles of surgeon and anaesthetist have expanded to cover this peri‐operative interval in many and varied ways.

This initiative, a single special issue on peri‐operative care spread across two journals, BJS and Anaesthesia, showcases collaborative work between surgeons and anaesthetists. It not only celebrates their achievements in improving peri‐operative care but also highlights current and ongoing research to optimise the care of patients undergoing surgery. The editors have invited experts in the field to contribute state‐of‐the‐art leaders and reviews, and also included a number of articles submitted following specific calls in the journals and on social media. Both journals have produced special issues that are entirely free to download and enjoy.