Dr Charles Deakin
MA MD MB BChir FRCP FRCA FFICM FERC
Consultant Anaesthetist
Charles was educated at Cambridge University (Girton College), qualifying in 1988. He completed his basic medical training at Kings College Hospital, London, and then completed his higher medical training at speciality hospitals in London, being elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1994.
In 1994, he undertook Anaesthesia specialty training in Southampton (Wessex Deanery) with two further years of subspecialty training in cardiothoracic anaesthesia and intensive care medicine. Subsequently, he was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and completed his research thesis in cardiac anaesthesia (MD) in 1999.
He was then appointed as a Consultant at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust in 1999 and elected Fellow of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine in 2011.
He undertakes a wide range of general and cardiac cases under sedation and general anaesthesia. His clinical focus is on the delivery of cardiac anaesthesia for elective and emergency procedures, including coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve repair/replacement and complex anaesthesia for aortic reconstruction, in addition to electrophysiology procedures. He also undertakes cardiac intensive care medicine, providing continuity of care for surgical cases.
Charles’ academic interests focus on resuscitation and pre-hospital care. He was appointed Honorary Professor of Resuscitation and Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine, University of Southampton in 2012.
He is a lead author of European Resuscitation Council advanced life support guidelines and is an instructor on the cardiac advanced life support course at UHS. He founded the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance in 2007 and was the inaugural Chairman and Chief Executive.
He was also the Chair of the RNLI Medical Committee (2011-2019) and was appointed Vice President in 2020.
Charles also undertakes medicolegal consultancy, acting as an expert witness in cardiac and emergency medicine in coronial, civil and criminal cases.