James Lind Alliance PSP for Intensive Care Research
Our top 10 Research Priorities
The Intensive Care Society is proud to announce the publication of the top 10 research priorities for intensive care, delivered in partnership with the James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnership (PSP). The priorities are a huge step forward in supporting the establishment of a clear and collaborative roadmap for future life-saving research.
Over the last year, we have worked alongside National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the JLA to identify the most pressing research questions in intensive care.
The top ten priorities are as follows:
- What are the best ways to prevent, lessen or treat delirium (confusion and changes in awareness) in ICU, using medicines and non-medicine strategies tailored to individual needs?
- What are the best ways to promote psychological and emotional recovery after ICU discharge for patients with Post-Traumatic Stress or other psychological consequences of critical illness?
- How can Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) be prevented, and if it occurs, what are the best treatments, rehabilitation and support for recovery and quality of life after ICU?
- How can new knowledge, treatments, therapies, and technologies be quickly and safely brought into (implemented) ICU care, while stopping outdated practices like heavy sedation and routine use of mucus clearing drugs (drugs used to clear secretions from airways)?
- What are the best ways to improve discharge from ICU to ensure continuity of care and patient support, including sharing of information?
- What are the best ways to support ICU patients who are struggling to communicate to improve psychological wellbeing and recovery?
- How can the ICU environment be adjusted to improve experience and outcomes for patients and families? For example, noise levels, natural light, interruptions to sleep, time awareness, access to a garden?
- What are the best ways to enable the presence of family/friends in the ICU, and/or their involvement in care?
- How can access to follow-up and rehabilitation services after ICU be provided, including with community and primary care?
- How can early and accurate diagnosis and treatment of infection in ICU be improved to distinguish infection from non-infectious inflammation?
With support from the NIHR, this project is empowering the intensive care community to shape the research agenda and ensure that future studies reflect the issues that matter most to those directly affected.
Read the full list of research priorities
11. What information is most helpful for patients and their families before going into ICU, during their stay, and after discharge? How can this information be shared at the right time, and in the right way?
12. ICU patients can often feel thirsty and not be given food or drink ("nil by mouth"). What are the best ways to reduce the impact and distress this causes to patients and their family?
13. What are the best ways to improve the use of invasive (i.e. via a breathing tube) mechanical ventilation machine (breathing machine) to help patients come off them safely and at the right time in ICU?
14. What are the best ways to ensure timely rehabilitation to improve patient wellbeing and recovery while in ICU?
15. What inequalities exist in access to ICU and ICU follow-up services, and what are the best ways to address these gaps?
16. How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) be safely used to improve diagnostics and therapeutic interventions in and after ICU to improve outcomes for patients?
17. What are the best ways to improve outcomes for patients who need a tracheostomy?
18. What are the best ways to support children and families of ICU patients, including if the patient dies?
19. What are the best ways to support and empower patients and their families to manage the challenges of everyday life after ICU?
20. How can decision-making about treatment and rehabilitation goals be shared so that it takes account of patient and family priorities and expectations in and after ICU?
21. What are the best ways to intubate and extubate ICU patients effectively and safely?
22. What are the best ways to predict individual long-term outcomes (i.e., after hospital discharge) on ICU admission or during an ICU stay, to inform treatment choices and rehabilitation?
23. How can ICU care be delivered in ways that reduce the environmental impact (i.e., waste, greenhouse gases) while maintaining quality and safety?
Meet the Team
The Intensive Care Society brought together a team of clinical leaders and public representatives to guide the ICS JLA Priority Setting Partnership. Professor Louise Rose (King’s College London), Professor Charlotte Summers (University of Cambridge), and Professor Sarah Wallace (Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust) are leading the project, with representation from both the Society and NIHR.
We worked in collaboration with wider organisations and networks across the UK to ensure the partnership reflects the diversity and complexity of intensive care. JLA Advisor, Maryrose Tarpey and the JLA Information Specialist Toto Gronlund also supported the project and brought their expertise in facilitating inclusive, transparent priority-setting processes.
A dedicated steering group — made up of equal numbers of patient/family representatives and healthcare professionals — oversaw the priority setting work. This group reflects a broad range of experience, including variations in geography, clinical background, lived experience, and professional roles, ensuring a fair and inclusive approach to identifying what matters most in intensive care research.
Professor Louise Rose
Professor of Critical Care Nursing at King’s College London, Intensive Care Society
Professor Charlotte Summers
Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University of Cambridge, NIHR
Professor Sarah Wallace
Professor and Consultant Speech and Language Therapist at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Intensive Care Society
Get in Touch
Whether you're a former patient, a family member, or a healthcare professional work in critical care - we’d love to hear from you. research@ics.ac.uk
Intensive Care Society | Supported by NIHR
