'Ask the Anaesthetist’ - evaluating a multidisciplinary online antenatal patient information platform

Introduction

Timely and accurate information is essential in enabling patients to make informed choices about their labour analgesia. Evidence suggests information given to antenatal patients relating to obstetric analgesia and anaesthesia is often lacking [1]. A multidisciplinary online platform called ‘Ask the Anaesthetist’ was launched in 2021 by a consultant anaesthetist and consultant midwife at St George’s Hospital in London. This monthly forum encourages antenatal patients and their partners to ask questions to an anaesthetist and midwife to get information about pain relief in labour and birth experience in theatre