Origins
The group began in 1958, when three junior doctors combined their administrative arrangements so they could provide anaesthetics for patients in Melbourne’s private hospitals. It was first registered as Epworth Anaesthetic Services and has grown over more than six decades into today’s group of specialist anaesthetists.
Timeline
- 1958
Dr Robert Manser and Dr James Birrell begin working together, soon joined by Dr Chan Piercy. The practice is registered as Epworth Anaesthetic Services.
- 1960s
Mrs McArthur runs the booking service from a converted spare room in Rosanna, answering calls around the clock so that bookings never had to go to the doctors’ homes.
- 1970
Mrs Lyckman takes over as booking clerk, working from East Melbourne for a group of about ten anaesthetists.
- 1980
The practice is renamed Elesmere Anaesthetic Services. This remains its registered name, although it is widely known simply as Anaesthetic Services.
- Today
A Melbourne-based group of FANZCA specialist anaesthetists, with rooms in Richmond, caring for patients across Victorian hospitals.
Anaesthesia in the early years
Anaesthetic practice looked very different then. Most work was for individual cases rather than operating lists, and an anaesthetist might do four to six cases a day at several different hospitals. Private hospitals did not supply anaesthetic equipment, so the anaesthetists carried their own portable anaesthetic machines along with a bag of drugs and equipment. Open ether was commonly used, with halothane added later.
The contrast with modern practice, with its continuous monitoring, dedicated equipment and national safety standards, is a reminder of how far the specialty has come, and of the care and ingenuity of those who went before us.
Foundation members
- Dr Robert W.E. Manser
- Dr James A. Birrell
- Dr M.C. (Chan) Piercy
Adapted from the history published by the group. Read the group’s history page.
About the logo
- Precision
- Vigilance
- Oversight
Our logo quietly reflects the essence of our work in anaesthesia. The central circle resembles a pupil, symbolising the ever-watchful eye—our constant attention to the patient at the heart of every procedure. The surrounding arcs suggest the flow of oxygen, the rhythm of ventilation, and the familiar forms of dials and rotameters we adjust with care.
Together, they represent the precision we practice, the vigilance we maintain, and the steady oversight that defines safe, thoughtful anaesthetic care. It’s a simple design, carrying the quiet confidence and humanity of our profession.