Difficult Airway Society (DAS)

The Difficult Airway Society (DAS) is the largest specialist society in anaesthesia in the UK, aiming to improve patient safety and quality of care of airway management through research, education, innovation, guidelines and engagement activities. DAS works with multiple stakeholders to achieve our aims, including the Royal College of Anaesthetists, the Association of Anaesthetists, and, of course, the NIAA. 

DAS was an early funding partner of the NIAA and has contributed to most grant rounds since 2010, funding an average of one grant per annum. For each grant round, DAS offers project grants up to £15,000 and small grants up to £5,000. These projects have led to multiple peer-reviewed publications, with changes to clinical practice ensuing.

As well as direct funding and partnership with the NIAA, DAS also offers other academic opportunities to its membership to benefit patient care and support the goals of the NIAA. This includes Direct DAS Grants of up to £5,000, making funding of airway-related research more regular; DAS Faculty of Professors, giving those conducting research mentorship from experienced professors in airway academia; and DAS Professorships, awarded to those with long-standing track records of academic and clinical excellence. DAS also produces practice-changing guidelines, including intubation guidelines; airway management in critically ill patients; human factors; and more, many in collaboration with other societies.

Together, in collaboration with the NIAA and other specialist societies, DAS has worked to improve the health of patients and the public through research and innovation in the field of airway management.