Background and Aims Regional anaesthesia (RA) plays a vital role in perioperative care, providing superior analgesia, reduced postoperative complications, shorter recovery time, and earlier hospital discharge [1]. Recent efforts have been made to improve RA education [2, 3], but many trainers lack confidence in performing or teaching RA [4]. This not only restricts patients’ access to optimal analgesia but also limits learning opportunities for trainees. The aim of our study is to assess the availability and provision of RA education for consultants and specialists, which will inform strategies to promote broader competence, enhance training experience, and ultimately improve perioperative care.

Methods We conducted a nationwide survey among anaesthetic consultants and specialists to evaluate the availability of regional anaesthesia education for trainers. The survey was distributed through UK college tutors and social media platforms.

Results A total of 369 consultants and specialists participated in the survey, representing all UK National Health Service (NHS) deaneries. The provision of RA teaching varied significantly across the country. The most common formats of teaching included peer-led learning (n=256), teaching with human models (n=166), ad hoc pop-up teaching in operating theatres (n=163), teaching using phantom models (n=99) and e-learning programmes (n=91).

Conclusions Understanding the availability of RA education is crucial for enhancing training experiences and ensuring consistent delivery of RA techniques to patients. Our study reveals variability in the provision of RA teaching across the UK for consultants and specialists. Further research utilising qualitative methods may provide deeper insights into the nuances and challenges associated with RA education for trainers.