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ANZCA – Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists

The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA), which includes the Faculty of Pain Medicine, is the professional body responsible for the specialities of anaesthesia and pain medicine. The college represents nearly 10,000 specialist anaesthetists and pain medicine physicians and trainees. ANZCA is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation.

The work of ANZCA includes setting the practice standards, training and continuing education of specialist anaesthetists and pain medicine physicians and supporting research that provides the evidence underpinning safety and standards.

The Faculty of Pain Medicine has a history of engagement with the community, particularly through its contribution to the National Pain Strategy and its membership of Pain Australia.

Vision and mission

ANZCA’s vision is “to be a recognised world leader in training, education, research, and in setting standards for anaesthesia and pain medicine”.

The Faculty of Pain Medicine has also developed its own vision, "to reduce the burden of pain on society through education, advocacy, training and research”.

ANZCA’s purpose is “to serve our communities by leading high quality care in anaesthesia, perioperative and pain medicine, optimising health and reducing the burden of pain".

From this purpose flow three major objectives:

  1. To promote professional standards and patient safety in anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain medicine.
  2. To promote education in anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain medicine.
  3. To advance the science and practice of anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain medicine.

How ANZCA can help

ANZCA serves the community by fostering safety and high-quality patient care in anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain medicine.

Most people will need the care of an anaesthetist at some stage in their lives, including pain relief during the birth of a baby, for routine day-stay procedures or for major operations requiring complex, split-second decisions that keep patients alive.

Pain is the most common reason that people seek medical help, yet it is one of the most neglected areas of healthcare. One in five Australians live with chronic pain including adolescents and children, and this increases to one in three people aged over 65.

Information lines / help lines

  • Visit the ANCA contact us page for further contact information

Recommended links

This information was originally published on healthdirect - ANZCA – Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.

Last reviewed: July 2025

Information from this partner

Found 21 results

FPM Opioid Calculator | ANZCA

The Opioid Equianalgesic Calculator is designed to support specialist and general medical practitioners, medical students, nurses, and allied health professionals involved in the care of patients with persistent pain. Developed by the Faculty of Pain Medicine, Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (FPM ANZCA), this essential clinical tool simplifies the calculation of equianalgesia, expressed as the total oral morphine equivalent daily dose (oMEDD).

Read more on ANZCA website

What is pain and how do we manage it? | ANZCA

Severe, persistent and unrelieved pain is recognised as one of the world's major healthcare needs, with serious financial and social implications for individuals, families and communities.

Read more on ANZCA website

Opioids and chronic pain | ANZCA

Opioids are a class of medicines taken to help reduce pain. They work on the central nervous system to slow down nerve signals between the brain and the body.

Read more on ANZCA website

Patient resources | ANZCA

We've collated a range of resources for pain patients and their families.

Read more on ANZCA website

About pain medicine | ANZCA

One in five people in Australia and New Zealand will experience chronic – or persistent – pain at some stage in their lives. Established in 1998, the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) has trained hundreds of specialist pain medicine physicians. These specialist pain medicine physicians also treat acute pain (post operative, post-trauma, acute episodes of pain in "medical conditions") and cancer pain (pain directly due to tumour invasion or compression, pain related to diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, pain due to cancer treatment).

Read more on ANZCA website

Anaesthesia for eye surgery | ANZCA

Eye surgery can be performed under eye block, topical anaesthesia or general anaesthesia.

Read more on ANZCA website

What does an anaesthetist do? | ANZCA

Anaesthetists are specialist doctors with unique clinical knowledge and skills. They have a major role in the perioperative care of surgical patients.

Read more on ANZCA website

Anaesthesia for joint surgery | ANZCA

Joint replacement surgery is a common and effective procedure for relieving disability due to severe joint pain and loss of function.

Read more on ANZCA website

Types of anaesthesia | ANZCA

There are several types of anaesthesia that may be used individually or in combination, depending on the surgery.

Read more on ANZCA website

Anaesthesia and children | ANZCA

Children of all ages, including newborn babies, may require anaesthesia. We'll take various concerns into account to determine what skills and experience medical staff will require to ensure your child has the best outcomes possible.

Read more on ANZCA website

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