It provides the framework for teaching, research and anaesthetic services to the three acute hospitals in the city of Oxford, namely the John Radcliffe Hospital including the Women's Centre, the Churchill Hospital, and the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, and The Horton Hospital in Banbury. The Nuffield Department is one of the largest anaesthetic departments in the country, with over 65 consultants, and approximately 60 trainees at various levels of training.

The early department

Before the establishment of the Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics (the NDA) in 1937, anaesthetics was a nascent 'specialty, often undertaken by General Practitioners, students or any willing helper'. In 1931 the first Clinical Assistant was appointed, followed a little later by two Honorary Anaesthetists. A 'Department' as such, did not exist.

When Lord Nuffield bestowed his large benefaction on the University of Oxford in 1936, he wished to establish four clinical chairs one of which was to be in 'Anaesthetics'. To the University, the practice of anaesthesia was absurdly un-academic, and, whilst eagerly accepting the three other clinical chairs, they declined the offer of a chair in Anaesthetics, declaring it the domain of the 'skilled artisan' and 'a feathered nest for gadgeteers unworthy of scholarly notice'. Such was Nuffield's resolve to have a Chair in Anaesthetics that he withdrew his entire benefaction of £2 million until the University rapidly revised its view.

So it was that in 1937 the first academic department of anaesthetics in Europe and the Commonwealth was created, and, in line with all the other University Departments supported by Lord Nuffield's Benefaction, it became known as the 'Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics'. Over time, the Department grew to service the increasing demand through the increased complexity which the success of the specialty of Anaesthesia had afforded. Through its existence,the name Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics has remained for both University and NHS clinical wings of the Department as integration was always considered one of its essential features.