Dr Kirsty MacLennan

Dr MacLennan has been a Consultant Anaesthetist at the Manchester Foundation Trust since 2010. Her subspeciality area of interest is obstetric anaesthesia. She is based at St Mary’s Hospital, a tertiary obstetric referral centre for complex medical conditions, with over 8500 deliveries per annum.

Dr MacLennan’s subspecialities include obstetric anaesthesia for both electives and emergencies; airway, maxillofacial and head and neck surgery; and gynaecology oncology. Since October 2020, Dr MacLennan has worked as an anaesthetic clinical advisor for the Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI, formerly HSIB) in the maternity investigation programme. She is involved in the review of cases, with the ultimate aim of identifying common themes within underpinning systems and processes that will help to make maternity care safer. She has a weekly commitment to this programme.

Dr MacLennan is a contributor to maternity guidelines on topics including enhanced recovery, maternal cardiac arrest, acid aspiration prophylaxis, remifentanil PCA, cell savage, and hyponatraemia. In 2022-2024, Dr MacLennan led on a national collaborative project to produce the Obstetric Anaesthetists’ Association Quick Reference Handbook for Obstetric Emergencies; this handbook includes 20 action cards for common emergencies encountered in the obstetric setting. It has been endorsed by many national organisations.

Dr MacLennan has a Masters in medical education. She is the human factor training lead for delivery suite. She is an educational supervisor and consultant appraiser. Dr MacLennan was an Obstetric Anaesthetists’ Association (OAA) executive committee member from 2019-2025. She lectures nationally on subjects including simulation, human factors, obstetric emergencies and obstetric anaesthesia and analgesia.

Dr MacLennan has published multiple books and book chapters. These include books on obstetric decision making and simulation, core topics in obstetric anaesthesia, maternal acute illness management, and more.

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Dr MacLennan has held the role of College Tutor, Training Programme Director and MFT Associate Director of Medical Education. She is the lead for obstetric simulation at St Mary’s Hospital, running regular multidisciplinary drills. She is also the chair of the Manchester Foundation Trust simulation faculty and manages recruitment for clinical fellows in obstetric anaesthesia.

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