John Farman ICU, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge

• The John Farman ICU is a tertiary adult critical care unit.  Please note our sister units at Addenbrooke’s (NCCU and PICU) specialises in neurocritical care and trauma, and paediatric ICU respectively. 
• The John Farman ICU is both a tertiary ICU specialising in hepatology, transplantation, vascular and HPB surgery, but also secondary care for Cambridge and the surrounding area.   In 2023-24 36.9% of our patients were from tertiary specialities (transplant, liver, HPB, vascular, nephrology, oncology and haematology); 19.6% of our patients were admitted under general medicine.
• We are one of seven liver transplant centres in the UK.  In 2023-24 116 liver transplants were performed at Addenbrooke’s: all come to the John Farman ICU.  Addenbrooke’s is the leading UK centre for multivisceral intestinal transplants and ICU is intimately involved in the care of those patients.

• ICM registrars will undertake clinical work with the Rapid Response Team (RRT) which reviews acutely deteriorating adult patients in the ED and on the wards.  The RRT also leads adult cardiac arrests.  (Trauma and paediatric arrest calls are run by separate teams and do not involve RRT members.)

• There is no split site working within this Unit

We are involved in clinical research on the JVF-ICU and have two dedicated research nurses.  Multiple consultants are PIs for research trials and resident doctors are encouraged to become research active.  Professor Summers and Associate Professor Conway Morris undertake laboratory as well as clinical research.

We have recruited patients for the following RCTs in the last year: A2B (sedation in ICU); MARCH (mucoactive agents); UK-ROX (oxygen therapy).  We also continue to recruit to GenOMICC (identifying genetic predisposition to specific syndromes of critical illness) and EMErALD (haematological manifestations of liver disease).  In 2025 we shall recruit to the following RCTs: INIFNIT (a phase II trial into Interferon Gamma in the critically ill); SHORTER (antibiotic duration in sepsis); and GuARDS (dexamethasone in ARDS).

All members of staff, including resident doctors, are encouraged to become involved in research whilst working in the JVF and full training will be provided for those who wish to take this opportunity.

The research team can be contacted on cuh.icuresearch@nhs.net

We have 19 consultants on the specialist register for ICM and other specialities (acute medicine, respiratory medicine, anaesthetics).

There is a seven-day consultant service with a consultant presence until at least 9pm.  The on-call consultant is available 24 hours per day.

• 21 registrars and higher fellows
• 12 IMTs/ ACCS doctors/ junior fellows
• 3 foundation doctors
• 2 ACCPs

Overnight the 32 ICU-HDU beds are covered by two higher fellows/ registrars and two IMTs/ junior fellows.

RRT is covered 24 hours a day by a registrar/ higher fellow.

• Training in point of care ultrasound: we have two FICE trainers
• Opportunity to attend theatre for airway experience: will need to be done during EDT time and needs to be arranged with the anaesthetics department.
• Interhospital transfers: it is unusual for us to provide interhospital transfers as there is a regional dedicated critical care transfer service (ACCTS).  However, we have good relations with the ACCTS and can organise shadowing placements with it.

• Other: The ICU consultants run the trust vascular access service and sessions can be arranged during EDT time.

• There are weekly consultant-led in-person teaching sessions which are also broadcast on Teams.
• Resident doctors are also encouraged to attend speciality-specific teaching relevant to their speciality, the medical Grand Round, and monthly teaching sessions arranged by our colleagues at Papworth ICU.

   

• There are bimonthly multidisciplinary clinical governance meetings which ICM registrars are welcome to attend.
• There are bimonthly M&M meetings which resident doctors are strongly encouraged to attend.

• The ICU doctors’ offices have fold-out beds if the workload allows for rest during the night shifts. 
• Rest facilities after a shift can be arranged via medical staffing.
• There are hot food and caffeine-provision facilities 24 hours a day. 
• The M&S food is open until 10pm on weekdays and 9pm on weekdays.