It is sometimes possible to choose your anaesthetist, but there are factors which may make this difficult.

• The anaesthetist you want may not have hospital privileges, which means that the anaesthetist is not legally entitled to practise medicine in a particular institution. This does not imply any lack of skill but rather indicates that the anaesthetist does not normally practise at that institution. (This may apply to surgeons as well.)
• Some anaesthetists and surgeons often work as a team and develop a close working relationship. A particular anaesthetist may therefore not work regularly with a particular surgeon.
• Other anaesthetists may choose to practise anaesthesia only for certain types of operations - for example, cardiac anaesthetists may not look after women undergoing labour and delivery, and paediatric anaesthetists may not provide anaesthetic care for adults.
• Although an anaesthetist may work with a particular surgeon or provide care for a patient undergoing a particular operation, the anaesthetist may not regularly use a particular type of anaesthetic - for example, regional anaesthesia.
• The anaesthetist might not be available, having been on call the night before, on holiday, or otherwise engaged.

Nevertheless, you are entitled to ask if you may have a particular anaesthetist look after you.