Research and Quality Improvement in Practice

Maria Alcaide

Critical Care Step-Down Dietitian, University Hospitals of Leicester

I am a Critical Care Step-Down Dietitian at University Hospitals of Leicester. After moving from Spain to the UK, I completed an MSc in Advanced Professional Practice in Dietetics at the University of Plymouth and began my career at UHL in 2021.

In 2022, I co-developed the Adult Complex Medicine Dietetic Service in collaboration with my line manager. In this role, I provided specialist nutritional care to adults with complex medical needs, including ICU step‑down patients, long-stay inpatients, individuals with learning disabilities, safeguarding considerations, diabetes, and wound care challenges. During this time, I led service evaluation work to assess outcomes and drive ongoing service improvement.

In 2024, I moved into my current post, where I co-developed the Critical Care Outreach Dietetic Service alongside the ICU team. This service focuses on improving continuity of nutritional care and supporting rehabilitation for patients transitioning from intensive care to the wards. My work is centred on strengthening pathways, enhancing multidisciplinary collaboration, and advancing evidence‑based nutrition practice for complex and critically unwell patients.

James Bruce

Clinical Occupational Therapist, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHSFT

James is an Occupational Therapist employed within the Intensive Care Unit at Bristol Royal Infirmary Hospital. He works as an ICU clinical specialist in a unique role focused on early rehabilitation, humanistic care, and rehabilitation education across the ICU team. He engages patients in early rehabilitation, screens rehabilitation needs, and delivers rehabilitation throughout the post ICU inpatient pathway.

James has a strong interest in upper limb dysfunction following critical illness, long term functional outcomes, and learning directly from patients to improve acute care practice. He is currently completing a research fellowship to strengthen his research pillar of practice.

He has co-authored the Occupational Therapy chapter for GPICS versions 2 and 3, and the GPICS Rehabilitation chapter version 3. He is an Intensive Care Society council member, deputy of learning in the ICS, associate editor for JICS,  a steering group member for the current JLA and ICS adult critical illness research prioritisations and a steering group member for the NCEPOD rehabilitation following critical illness study. He supported the development of the AHP Critical Care Professional Development Framework. He is the Chair of the ICS AHP Professional Advisory Group, co chairs the AHP Critical Care Network for the South West of England and deputy chair of the recent formation of the UK and Ireland OT ECMO network.

Sarah Cleary

Speech and Language Therapy Lead for Critical Care, University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Trust

Sarah Cleary is the speech and language therapy (SLT) lead for critical care at University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Trust.  She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Wales Institute Cardiff and a postgraduate qualification in dysphagia from Plymouth Marjon University.

Sarah has worked as a SLT for over 15years in both the UK and Australia, across multiple settings. During this time, she has developed skills and knowledge of specialist dysphagia assessment including videofluoroscopy and FEES, and also developed specialist skills in tracheostomy management. Her interest in critical care began whilst working in Australia and has been her focus for the last 5years since moving to Bristol.

Sarah has clinical interests in dysphagia and secretion management in tracheostomised patients, and dysphagia rehabilitation within critical care. She is the current UK SLT ECMO network co-chair and also is SLT representative for the South West Critical Care allied health professional network.

Outside of her professional commitments, Sarah is a keen short distance runner but hoping to take on her first half marathon later this year.

Rebekah Haylett

Physiotherapist in Critical Care and ICS Physio PAG Member

Becky is a Physiotherapist working in Oxford and is the member of the ICS Physiotherapy Professional Advisory Group. Since qualifying in 2006 she has remained committed to the speciality of intensive care, and to the recovery of critically ill patients across their entire pathway. Throughout her career she has developed interests in multiprofessional education, service development, and advanced practice, and is currently undergoing accreditation as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner. Becky has continued to make contributions to a range of educational sessions for multiprofessional groups, at undergraduate and multiple stages of postgraduate training. She is keen to ensure that all professional groups have opportunities to advance knowledge and skills in all domains of clinical practice, and actively promotes the sharing and exchange of knowledge and practice, critical analysis and development. Quality improvement remain a key focus of her work, and she is dedicated to projects stemming from clinical practice.

: @Becky_HPhysio

Deborah Rowley

Advanced Physiotherapist in Critical Care, University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust

Deborah is an Advanced Physiotherapist in Critical Care at The University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust. She qualified in 1995 with a BSc Hons in Physiotherapy and went on to complete a Postgraduate Certificate in Respiratory Physiotherapy in 1998. She has worked in Critical Care for over 20 years. Her main interests are SCI patients and providing holistic care to long term patients on Critical Care. She enjoys sharing her knowledge with student and junior staff hoping to ignite their passion for Respiratory Physiotherapy.