You’ll find blogs on a variety of topical issues pertaining to critical care in the UK and beyond that we've published in recent years
We welcome contributions from medical, nursing, and AHP members who’d like to share a fascinating insight into a topic of their choice. If you’d like your blog to be considered please email your blog (between 400-600 words) to info@ics.ac.uk. Please note: all blogs are edited for size, and published at the discretion of ICS Council.
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Simon Hayward reflects on how lung ultrasound has changed his practice
Dr Alastair Proudfoot looks at the lessons from the 2018 NCEPOD report
Dr Peter Brindley celebrates the success of the SOA 2018
Dan Horner has had an enjoyable and informative day at the QE2 in Westminster. Read his blog on Day One of SOA 18 here Read his blog on Day Two of SOA 18 here Read his blog on Day Three of SOA 18 here
Audrey Quinn and Laura Vincent on why the Maternal Critical Care Session is a must!
Dr Peter Brindley looks forward to the conference (and panto)!
Dr Jeremy Bewley, ICS Council member, shares some thoughts on how we deal with death and how we can improve our approach.
Julie Cahilll, who has been and ICU patient and sits on the Society's Patients and Relatives Committee, reviews Lu Spinney's book,.
Dr Robert Hatch describes the Intensive Care Outcomes Network (ICON) study funded by the ICS and the BUPA foundation.
Dr Richard Innes, Consultant in Intensive Care and ICS Council Member, discusses his view on our Duty of Candor.
Dr Nicola Pawley gives us an insight in to the challenges of returning to work after maternity leave
An FAQ from the President elect Read more
Emily Gibney reviews 'The Beginner's Guide to Intensive Care' Read more
Organ Donation Week 2 (05/09/2018) Sam Newman talks about a day in the life of a specialist nurse in organ donation
Are all negative studies bad? (15/05/2017) Dr Jeremy Bewley, newly elected ICS Council member discusses the value of negative research studies
Organ Donation Week (03/09/2018) Anthony J Clarkson, interim director – Organ Donation and Transplantation, NHS Blood and Transplant, requests that we encourage discussion on the benefits of organ donation
Therapeutic nihilism, self-fulfilling prophecies and time (17/08/2018)
Matt Morgan and Matt Wise, Consultants in Intensive Care at the University Hospital of Wales, discuss the risks of blind assumptions when thinking about a patient’s prognosis. Read more
Dr Steve Mathieu shares exciting updates about State of the Art 2018 (10/08/18)
The latest instalment of the Intensive Care Society State of the Art (SOA) Meeting is shaping up to be the best yet. After a successful and popular foray to Liverpool last year, we’re back in London for three jam packed days: 10th – 12th December, 2018 Read more
Mountain Medicine, Critical Care Fellowships and 'Surviving the Death Zone' (28/07/2018) Dr Jeremy Windsor describes how a the management of a critically ill patient on Mt Everest led him to set up a Fellowship in Mountain Medicine in Chesterfield Read more
Critical Care in 1964 - Historical Video (11/07/18)
Dr Craig Stenhouse and Patrick Harris introduce a historical film showing intensive care at Burton Hospital in 1964. Read more
On Restlessness (04/06/18)
Dr Peter Brindley discusses restlessness, happiness, hypernormalisation and what to do? Read More
The Human Side of the Immigration Policies in the NHS (15/05/18)
ICS Council Member, Dr. Shondipon Laha, looks at the human impact on overseas doctors who staff the NHS, and stresses the importance of a diverse representation on our professional bodies. Read More
On the Receiving End! (15/05/18)
Dr Gary Masterson, President of the Society, recently experienced NHS care from the relative’s perspective. He reflects on some of the lessons he has learnt. Read More
The Society and UK Critical Care Research (25/04/18) Dr Jeremy Groves, ICS Council Member, took the opportunity to attend the Society’s Foundation Board and Research Committee meetings in January and looks at the Society’s contribution and commitment to UK Critical Care Research. Read More
BED 12 – Review (29/03/18)
Julie Cahill, who has been an intensive care patient and is a member of the Society’s Patients and Relatives Committee, reviews Alison Murdoch’s book ‘Bed 12’. Read More
What we really need to teach our trainees! (14/03/18)
Richard Innes considers some of the more stressful decisions critical care consultants have to take and laments the lack of training in these areas. Read More
Serious Hazards of Transfusion (08/03/18) Dr Jeremy Groves highlights the lessons from the lated Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) report. Read more
GMC VS Bawa Garba Responses (15/02/18) Dr Gary Masterson, president of the society, reflects on the Intensive Care Member response to the case of GMC Vs Bawa-Garba. Read more
Overpressure (08/02/18) Dr Jeremy Groves considers the facts behind the recent Independent article on critical care winter activity and NHS England’s response. Read more
Is ICM Training fit for Purpose? (01/02/18)
Professor Hugh Montgomery considers the evolution of the patients and diseases we manage and worries that training may be too slow to adapt to change. Read more
Winter Pressures (15/01/18)
Dr Gary Masterson, President of the Society, reflects on the current winter pressures facing those working and being treated in intensive care and high dependency units. Read more
State of the Art 2017 in Liverpool: “Surprise, Surprise” (14/12/18) Professor Peter Brindley looks back at this year’s meeting and concludes; “The Conference is Dead, Long Live the Conference”. Read more
State of the Art 2017 Roundup (5-7/12/18)
Read about the exciting highlights of days 1, 2 and 3 at State of the Art 2017. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
Organ Donation, Opt in, Opt Out? (06/12/18)
Dr Paul Murphy, National Dr Paul Murphy, National Clinical Lead for Organ Donation, explains why the time for an opt-in system of Organ Donation is right. Read More
State of the Art – Open to Everyone (29/11/18)
Dr Jeremy Groves shares his excitement for the upcoming annual State of the Art conference on 04/12/17. Read More
FICE Accreditation – past, present and future (07/11/17)
Dr Marcus Peck (@ICUltrasonica), Consultant Intensivist, Frimley Park Hospital, & FICE Chair, discusses the history and growth of FICE and what exciting developments will be coming in the future. Read more
Advanced Critical Care Practitioners. Time for action. (31/10/17)
Carole Boulanger, an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner (ACCP), discusses the role and how regulation is as equally important to ACCPs as it is to Physician Associates, and therefore the best way forward for the profession. Read more
JICS is listed in PubMed (17/10/17)
The Society’s journal, the Journal of the Intensive Care Society, has achieved the milestone of a PubMed listing. Dr Jeremy Groves considers the background and implications of the decision. Read more
#FiftyScansInFiftyDays – My journey through FICE Accreditation (16/10/17)
Dr Nitin Arora (@aroradrn), Consultant Intensivist at Heart of England NHS Trust, discusses his journey in attempting to complete #fiftyscansinfifty days and offers advice to those undertaking the FICE accreditation. Read more
The Beginning of the End? (26/09/17)
Dr Gary Masterson, President of the Society, reflects on how changes in the way critical care is commissioned may impact on critical care bed provision. Read more
The press, medical information, ethics and money (21/09/17)
Dr Jeremy Groves reflects on some of the wider issues arising from the tragic case of Charlie Gard. Read More
Life support for critical care staff (15/09/17)
Dr Linda Jayne Mottram, Intensive Care Consultant at Belfast HSC Hospital discusses the crucial importance of maintaining clinicians mental well-being in the current medical culture. Read more
Rehabilitation after critical illness in adults (08/09/17)
Gillian Sharpe, Lead Critical Care Physiotherapist, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, welcomes the update on NICE Quality Standard CG83 and the increased focus on rehabilitation of the critically ill it will bring. Read more
A lesson from little Charlie (01/09/17)
Dr Jeremy Groves reflects on one implication that the case of Charlie Gard has in adult critical care. Read more
Fasting our patients in the critical care unit. How can we get it right? (15/08/17)
Ella Segaran, Advanced dietitian for Critical Care, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Chair of the NAHP committee of the ICS, considers barriers to achieving nutritional targets in critical care and proposes some solutions. Read more
Using a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travelling Fellowship for critical care research – Applications open for 2018 (14/08/17)
Joanne McPeake discusses the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travelling Fellowship. Read More
In Search of the Intensive Care “Pessimist” (11/08/18)
Dr Peter Brindley discusses his journey to Britain in search of the elusive Intensive Care Pessimist. Read More
The ARCP, – “if only i knew what i was supposed to do” – a tirade, and a request to my fellow trainees. (08/08/17)
Dr Jamie Strachan discusses the annual review of competency for trainees. Read more
The Medical Training Initiative – a personal perspective (26/07/17)
Dr David Odaba, currently working at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, gives us his experience on The Medical Training Initiative. Read more
What is the Medical Training Initiative? (26/07/17)Dr Jon Sturman discusses the Medical Training Initiative. Read more
Meet the Nurse and AHP Committee (11/07/17) The Nurse and AHP Committee influence all aspects of the Society's activities. Read more
Critical Care Recovery – a new patient support website (05/07/17) Dr Pam Ramsay discusses the new patient support website Critical Care Recovery. Read more
Mediating conflict between health professionals, patients and families: It’s all about the human stuff. (27/06/17)
Sarah Barclay, Founder/Director, The Medical Mediation Foundation, discusses conflict mediation. Read more
The Manchester Attack – A personal view (20/06/17)
Dr Andrew Bentley discusses his thoughts on the medical response to the tragic Manchester attacks. Read more
Jottings from JICS: CQUINS, delayed discharges & perverse incentives (18/05/17) Dr Jeremy Groves, discusses the latest issue of the Journal of Intensive Care Medicine Read more
Guideline for Oxygen Use in Adults in Healthcare and Emergency (18/05/17)
The Intensive Care Society has endorsed this guideline. The updated guidance is based on new evidence about how effective prescribing and delivery of emergency oxygen for patients can both improve health and save lives. Read more
The Doctor is NOT in. He is on sabbatical; what about you. (27/04/17) Dr Peter Brindley, Honorary ICS Senior Travelling Fellow, talks about how a trip to India acted as a “breathing space” away from a demanding career and “clinical nonsense”. Read More
Bereavement Care in UK ICUs: Time for a Change (26/04/17)
Dr Jeremy Groves discusses bereavement care in UK ICUs. Read more
Informed Consent (26/04/17)
Professor Hugh Montgomery discusses autonomy, decision making and consent. Read more
Are We Innovators? (24/03/17) Craig Brown discusses the 'age of innovation' within the NHS. Read more
The Trainee Committee (14/03/17)
The Intensive Care Society has a very active trainee committee and here they introduce themselves…. Read More
Learning from Patient Safety Incidents (14/03/17)
Dr Jeremy Groves discusses lessons from patient safety incidents. Read More
No Smoke Without Fire: The Badness of Burnout (28/02/17)
[Long Read] The TGN1412 drug trial: A personal view (24/02/17)
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Regulation 28: Report to Prevent Future Deaths February 2017 (23/02/17) Guideline from the Legal and Ethical Policy Unit (LEPU) Read more
The Future Intensivist: A response (15/02/17)
Dr John Gannon discusses the future of the intensive care professional. Read More
Wellbeing in the ICU: Countering Burnout (14/02/17)
Dr Jeremy Groves discusses countering burnout in the ICU. Read More
The 2nd Sprint National Anaesthesia Project (14/02/17) Danny Wong discusses the 2nd Sprint National Anaesthesia Project. Read more
New Standard Medication Concentrations in Adult Critical Care Area (10/02/17) Mark Borthwick discussed new standards for medication concentrations in Adult Critical Care. Read More
Devastating Brain Injury Working Party (10/02/17)
Dan Harvey, Chair, Devastating Brain Injury Working Party, discusses the group. Read More
Jottings from JICS: CQUINS, delayed discharges & perverse incentives (10/02/17) Dr Jeremy Groves discusses the latest issue of JICS. Read More
The Ferreira Judgement: Deprivation of liberty and intensive care units (27/01/17) Statement in respects to the Ferreira Case. Read More
Neil Smith on his research into decision making in the ICU [Interview] (18/01/17) Alfred Long, ICS Communications Officer, interviews Neil Smith on his ICU research. Read More
Meet the President (18/01/17) Dr Gary Masterson discusses his new position of ICS President. Read More
Dr Matt Morgan Blog: Equipoise In Clinical Trials