The Cauldron

2.30pm – 4pm BST, 1 July 2026 ‐ 1 hour 30 mins

Abstracts

The Intensive Care Society Resident Doctors Professional Advisory Group proudly presents the latest edition of The Cauldron at SOA26.

This year’s theme, “ICU in 2050 – what’s the difference?”, was designed to encourage bold ideas, creative thinking, and fresh perspectives. The idea was to challenge assumptions and imagine what intensive care could become, whether through advances in science and technology, changes in workforce and training, shifts in ethics and patient expectations, or entirely new ways of delivering care.

The highest scoring abstracts have been invited to speak at the session, followed by questions from a judging panel. The winning submission will be announced during the SOA26 Closing Plenary on Thursday 2 July 2026. 

Co-chairs: Ben Lowe and Sarah Burgess

Speakers

Dr Sarah Burgess

Locum Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust

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Ben Lowe

Registrar in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

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Dr Sarah Burgess

Locum Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust

Sarah has been involved in the Intensive Care Society for many years, representing intensivists in training in the Trainee Advisory Group, and later as deputy chair and chair.  She has run multiple study days for the society and has recently been appointed lead for CPD within the education division.

Sarah has recently qualified as a consultant in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine, and is working as a locum consultant in Lister Hospital, Stevenage

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Ben Lowe

Registrar in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Dr Ben Lowe is a Registrar in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care in the East Midlands. He is Deputy Chair of the Intensive Care Society’s Resident Doctors Group. At the ICS he sits on Council and the Standards and Guidelines Committee. In the next year his focus is on practical measures to improve the wellbeing of resident doctors and continuing his work scrutinising and developing the Society’s guidance.