"It's a day I'll never forget" - QA Hospital father and son team operate together for the first time

Mr Nicholas Bennett, 62, a consultant plastic surgeon at Queen Alexandra Hospital, worked closely on several operation alongside his anaesthetist son, Dr Alexander Bennett, 32. It was first time the two had shared an operating theatre in their professional careers with Nicholas describing the day as “extraordinary”.

The two operated on a child who required urgent hand surgery and helped another patient by removing skin cancer. When following in his father’s footsteps, he didn’t think they would ever work alongside each other. However, having recently join the team at QA the unique experience presented itself.

He said: “I never thought Dad and I would actually work together. I’m at the start of my career, and he’s nearing the end of his, but there was just enough overlap for us to meet in the middle.

“From being a young boy looking up to him, to standing beside him in the operating theatre, it’s a day I’ll never forget.

“Giving patients an anaesthetic so that your father can operate is certainly a unique situation. The team seemed to enjoy the novelty, but I wanted to make sure it didn’t affect the team dynamic. We each did our jobs as we always would. Although, I’ll admit, surgeons and anaesthetists posing for a photo together at the end of the day isn’t exactly common.”

It was just as much of a special day for Nicholas, who started his career as an army surgeon at The Royal Hospital Haslar. Nicholas said: “I’ve always had great admiration for my anaesthetic colleagues, but when that anaesthetist is your son, it’s something else entirely.

“One day you’re discussing clinical cases over Sunday lunch, and the next you’re watching your child bring his skills to life in a real operating theatre. It was a truly special moment.”

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