ADEPT
ADEPT Guidance from DAS-
The minimum evidence required to select or purchase airway-related equipment
A paper in Anaesthesia describes the conclusions of the Difficult Airway Society’s Airway Device Evaluation Project Team (ADEPT), to establish a process by which the airway-management community within the profession could itself lead a process of formal device/equipment evaluation.
While there are several national and international regulations governing which products can come on to the market and be legitimately sold, there has hitherto been no formal professional guidance relating to how products should be selected (i.e. purchased). ADEPT has formulated such advice, emphasising evidence based principles and defined a minimum level of evidence needed to make a pragmatic decision about the purchase or selection of an airway device.
ADEPT advises that this definition should form the basis of a professional standard, guiding those with responsibility for selecting airway devices. The full paper describes how widespread adoption of this professional standard can act as a driver to create an infrastructure in which the required evidence can be obtained.
One important recommendation was that, when Trusts make their purchasing decision(s), they feedback to DAS to enable us to develop a database of decisions and the evidence upon which they were made. This will form a useful and growing resource for others faced with similar decisions.
We provide here the proforma which we ask you to use whenever you make your decision. Click to download
CALL FOR LOCAL ‘ADEPT LEADS’
ADEPT Guidance from DAS-
The minimum evidence required to select or purchase airway-related equipment
DAS is now calling on its members to volunteer as an ‘ADEPT Lead’ for their Trust. Ideally we would like each Trust to have an ADEPT Lead. The role and duties of the Lead will be:
1.to act as the primary point of contact for communication about matters relating to the ADEPT project and airway device evaluation
2.to feed back information on local device purchasing decisions to DAS on the DAS feedback form.
3.to lead a local team of interested consultants to form a ‘research unit’ that can become involved in the clinical trials of airway devices. This will in turn involve (with DAS support and guidance) the design of a clinical trial in partnership with industry, the completion of relevant ethics forms, trial registration, calculating relevant costs and managing the funding with DAS.
Although there are no additional PAs for this role, DAS would expect that this activity can be justified within the typical allowance for 2.5 SPAs as exists within the 2003 Consultant Contract, and DAS is prepared to write to Trusts in support of this.
To register as a local ADEPT Lead please complete the registration details using the DAS ADEPT lead application form
CALL FOR DAS ‘ADEPT OFFICER’
ADEPT Guidance from DAS-
In order to implement the DAS ADEPT policy, DAS Committee wishes to appoint an ADEPT Officer for an initial term of 1 yr, renewable on an annual basis. The duties of the role and person specification are set out below.
DUTIES
1.to work with and assist the DAS Scientific Officer (currently Dr Jaideep J Pandit) and focus on developing the ADEPT strategy for airway device evaluation;
2.to foster and create links with industry to promote the funded trialling the airway related devices;
3.to maintain the ADEPT part of the DAS website, which will include the update of evidence supporting the devices listed and updating the information received from DAS Device Feedback Forms
4.to maintain a register of Local ADEPT Leads and to assist them in the design and start-up of industry-sponsored clinical trials
5.to help develop templates for ethics forms, trial registration and costings;
6.strategic development and refinement of the ADEPT policy;
7.where required, reporting to DAS Committee and to DAS AGM.
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Specification |
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Desirable |
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Substantive consultant anaesthetist |
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Member of DAS |
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Evidence of published research in airway management |
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Experience of clinical trial of an airway device |
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Experience of completing an ethics form |
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Excellent communication and interpersonal skills |
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Wordprocessing and skills, IT and website management |
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Experience of fundraising, applying for or managing a grant |
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Awareness of key strategic reports in academic anaesthesia and of relevant publications in airway research strategy |
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Although there are no additional PAs for this role, DAS would expect that this activity can be justified within the typical allowance for 2.5 SPAs as exists within the 2003 Consultant Contract, and DAS is prepared to write to Trusts in support of this.
To apply for this role, please send a full CV and a maximum 2-page cover letter outlining your qualifications for the post and how you see ADEPT developing.
e-mail to adept@das.uk.com