ICS/BIA : Update on Ventilator Associated Pneumonia

Andrew Conway-Morris

Consultant Intensivist

Dr Conway Morris is a critical care consultant and MRC Clinician Scientist based at the University of Cambridge.  He trained at the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, undertaking a PhD in Edinburgh focused on immune failure in critical illness and nosocomial infection.  His research interests include neutrophil function and dysfunction in critical illness, where he identified complement component C5a as a key driver of dysfunction in patients.  He has also developed and tested a number of diagnostics for pneumonia, using both host and pathogen-focussed techniques.  His animating force is a desire to improve the management of infection in intensive care, and combat the rising tide of antimicrobial resistance.  He was recently awarded the Royal College of Anaesthetists 2023 Mackintosh Professorship.   He is the director of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine’s research and antimicrobial stewardship learning pathways.

: @andymoz78

Ema Swingwood

Consultant Physiotherapist, UK

Ema is a Consultant Therapist (Physiotherapist by background) in Critical Care at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust. Her area of clinical expertise and interest is ventilation, weaning and complex airway clearance. 

Having completed the Advanced Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy Msc programme at University College London (UCL) in 2012, Ema has continued her research focusing on the use of Mechanical Insufflation-Exsufflation (MI-E) and other cough augmentation strategies. Her current PhD work focuses on the use of MI-E in the intubated population which is funded through the NIHR Clinical Academic Research Fellowship pathway. 

Extra-curricular activities include contributions to the Undergraduate Physiotherapy programme at the University of the West of England, and post-graduate teachings at University College London and Brunel University. She sits on the Intensive Care Society Physiotherapy Professional Advisory Group and Education Committee, the Equity, Diversity and Belonging Committee of the CSP, and ICUsteps support group network. She has been part of the multi-professional authorship for BTS/ICS documents related to Respiratory Support Units and Weaning Centres. Most recently, she is part of the NHSElect working group for the development of a Critical Care Capability Framework.

: @emaroids1

Rajeka Lazarus

Consultant in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

I am a UKHSA Consultant in Infectious Disease and Microbiology based at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

I completed my infection training in Oxford and Singapore and I'm the Vice President of the British Infection Society - I have recently initiated a collaboration with the Intensive Care Society to optimise the delivery of infection services within critical care.

I am the microbiology ECMO lead at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

My other clinical and academic interests are adult vaccines, sustainability in healthcare and tuberculosis. 

: @@LazarusRajeka

Reena Mehta

Consultant Pharmacist and and ICS Pharmacy Professional Advisory Group, Chair

Reena is a Consultant Pharmacist in Critical Care at King's College Hospital in London and Chair of the Intensive Care Society's Pharmacy Professional Advisory Group.

She has worked in Critical Care for the past 15 years, leading and managing the Critical Care pharmacy service, providing vision and shaping its future strategy during a period of significant structural change and expansion. She has co-authored and provided specialist input locally & nationally into areas such as pharmacy critical care workforce, clinical guidelines, and advanced critical care training. Reena is a Principal Investigator on a number of NIHR CRN Portfolio studies.

Her specialist areas of interest are the ICU Liberation Bundle (A-F) initiatives, transfer of care around medicines and drug use in extra-corporeal circuits, particularly in renal replacement therapy & ECMO.

Reena is the Pharmacy Lead for the South East London ICS - Critical Care/ODN and a member of the United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association Expert Development Practice Group. She is currently undertaking an MSc in Health Economics, Policy & Management at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

: @ReenaM2703