NHS Research Scotland Anaesthesia, Perioperative Medicine and Critical Care and Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group (SICSAG) Conference 2026
Date: 23/09/2026 to 24/09/2026 Venue: Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel, Clydebank
The annual NHS Research Scotland Anaesthesia, Perioperative Medicine and Critical Care and Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group (SICSAG) Conference will be held on the 23 and 24 of September 2026 in-person at the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel, Clydebank
This year we will continue with the highly successful format of a joint, two-day conference; NRS will host day one of the conference on 23 September, and SICSAG will host day two, on 24 September. There will be a dinner on the night of the 23 September, along with a competitive accommodation package at the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel.
Attendees will also benefit from free on-site secure (CCTV monitored) car park.
On the NRS day, we will have speakers describing all aspects of Anaesthetic, Perioperative Medicine and Critical Care research including updates from resident research networks, work in progress and trial proposals.
On the SICSAG day, we will bring together multidisciplinary colleagues from across Scotland and beyond to share ideas, knowledge and practical examples of work that has driven improvements in the quality of care for critical care patients. The winner of the SICSAG Quality Improvement Award 2026 will also be announced at the conference.
Venue information
Get directions and more information for the Golden Jubilee National Hotel.
Programme
Wednesday 23 September (NRS Anaesthesia, Perioperative Medicine & Critical Care Research) |
||
|
09.15 - 10.00 |
Registration & refreshments (Central Plaza) | |
Session oneChair: Prof Ben Shelley |
||
|
10.00 - 10.20 |
Introduction and Update on the Scottish Anaesthetic and Perioperative Medicine Research Portfolio |
Prof. Ben Shelley, University of Glasgow |
|
10.20 - 10.40 |
Breaking Trial Results: VERVE (Validation of submaximal heart rate recovery as a perioperative risk measure) |
Dr Cara Hughes, NHS Lanarkshire |
|
10.40 - 11.00 |
Inclusive by Design: The role of patient and public involvement (PPI) in shaping people-centred research |
Anna Morris, University of Glasgow |
|
11.00 - 11.10 |
West of Scotland Anaesthetic Trainees Research Network (WoSTRAQ) Update |
Dr Gareth Lipton, University of Glasgow |
|
11.10 - 11.40 |
Refreshments & trade exhibition (Central Plaza) |
|
Session twoChair: Dr David Griffith |
||
|
11.40 - 12.00 |
Breaking Trial Results: ABC Post ICU (Anaemia management with red Blood Cell transfusion to improve post-intensive care disability: a randomised controlled trial) |
Prof. Tim Walsh, University of Edinburgh |
|
12.00 - 12.20 |
SHORTER Trial: A randomised controlled trial of SHORT duration antibiotic thERapy for critically ill patients with sepsis |
Dr Tom Hellyer, University of Newcastle |
|
12.20 - 12.45 |
PROTECT: A national perioperative platform trial to improve outcomes for surgical patients |
Dr Henrike Janssen, Queen Mary’s University of London |
|
12.45 - 12.55 |
PCA: Is the future oral? |
Dr Alasdair Hay, NHS Dumfries and Galloway |
|
12:55 - 13.05 |
SQUARES Project: TRACE (Theatre versus Room: A Comparison of haemorrhage Events) |
Dr Katie Turnbull, NHS Lothian |
|
13.05 - 14.00 |
Lunch (Beardmore) & trade exhibition (Central Plaza) |
|
Session threeChair: Prof. Kathryn Puxty |
||
|
14.00 - 14.10 |
Update on the Scottish Critical Care Research Portfolio |
Prof. Ben Shelley, University of Glasgow |
|
14.10 - 14.40 |
The Top-10 Research Priorities in Intensive Care: Results of the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership |
Prof. Charlotte Summers, University of Cambridge |
|
14.40 - 15.00 |
Building a Research Network within Scottish Perioperative Care |
Dr Emma Murphy, NHS Lanarkshire |
|
15.00 - 15.30 |
Refreshments and trade exhibition (Central Plaza) |
|
Session fourChair: Prof. Naz Lone |
||
|
15.30 - 15.50 |
PANDOS: Pain and opioids after surgery |
Prof. Patrice Forget, University of Aberdeen |
|
15.50 - 16.10 |
PERI-Ox: Perioperative oxygen in major surgery |
Dr Andrew Cumpstey, University of Southampton |
|
16.10 - 16.25 |
INTACT 2: Improving Intensive Care Unit (ICU) outcomes by treating anaemia |
Dr David Griffith, University of Edinburgh |
|
16:25 – 16:45 |
High Flow Nasal Therapy to Improve Upper Airway Humidity and Decrease Post-extubation Dysphagia |
Prof. Malcolm Sim, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde |
|
16.45 - 16.50 |
Closing remarks |
Prof. Ben Shelley, University of Glasgow |
Thursday 24 September (SICSAG) |
||
|
09.15 - 10.00 |
Registration & refreshments (Central Plaza) |
|
Session One: Measuring quality of care in Critical Care in ScotlandChair: Shona Ferguson |
||
|
10.00 - 10.05 |
Introduction |
Shona Ferguson, Public Health Scotland |
|
10.05 - 10.25 |
SICSAG Annual Report 2026 |
Dr Kathryn Puxty, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde |
|
10.25 - 10.45 |
New Minimum Standards and Quality Indicators for Critical Care in Scotland |
Prof. Naz Lone, NHS Lothian |
|
10.45 - 11.00 |
Discussion |
All |
|
11.00 - 11.30 |
Refreshments & trade exhibition (Central Plaza) |
|
Session Two: Meeting the minimum standards and quality indicators (MSQIs)Chair: Prof. Kathryn Puxty |
||
|
11.30 - 11.50 |
Levels of Care Requirements in Acute Care |
Dr Barbara Miles, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde |
|
11.50 - 12.10 |
Providing Critical Care Cover to High-dependency Units (HDUs) |
Dr Chris Cairns, NHS Forth Valley |
|
12.10 - 12.30 |
Recalibrating APACHE II for Mortality Prediction in Scottish ICUs |
Craig Nicolson, NHS Lothian |
|
12.30 - 12.45 |
Measuring new MSQIs on Wardwatcher |
Ros Hall, Public Health Scotland |
|
12.45 - 13.00 |
Discussion |
All |
|
13.00 - 14.00 |
Lunch (Beardmore) & trade exhibition (Central Plaza) |
|
Session Three: SICSAG subgroups (research and electronic health records)Chair: Prof Naz Lone |
||
|
14.00 - 14.20 |
Identifying Sepsis from Routine Data |
Dr Alex Tracy, University of Edinburgh |
|
14.20 - 14.40 |
Predicting Early Readmission to ICU |
Danny Walker, Public Health Scotland |
|
14.40 - 15.00 |
SIRIUS: Using data from electronic health records to inform respiratory infection surveillance |
Dr Annemarie Docherty, University of Edinburgh |
|
15.00 - 15.20 |
Clinical utility of electronic patient records in an ICU setting |
Dr Andrew Clarkin, NHS Grampian |
|
15.20 - 15.50 |
Refreshments & trade exhibition (Central Plaza) |
|
Session Four: Quality improvement (QI) |
||
|
15.50 - 16.05 |
Working Towards a National Quality Improvement Project |
Dr Fiona Christie, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde |
|
16.05 - 16.20 |
QI Prize Award |
|
|
16.20 - 16.35 |
QI Prize runner up |
|
|
16.35 - 16.45 |
Closing remarks & final time |
Prof. Kathryn Puxty, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde |
The NRS/SICSAG conference was generously sponsored by:
- Draeger Medical
- novus med Ltd
- Masimo Europe Ltd
- Verathon Medical Europe
- Vygon UK
Your feedback matters
After you have attended, complete our short feedback form and share your thoughts on the conference. You can also let us know if you would like to receive a certificate of attendance.
Thank you to all those attending the NRS/SICSAG Conference 2026. We hope you find the meeting informative and enjoyable, and we look forward to welcoming you again in 2027!
