There is a crisis in clinical academia in the UK. We talk of the need to expand medical schools, embed research into the NHS to improve care, & the importance of a vibrant life sciences sector for the economy of the UK, & yet we seem unable to tackle the underlying issues 1/9

Research requires researchers, which come in many shapes and sizes. We have increased the number of NHS Consultants over time, but we have not increased the number of clinical academics in hospitals, & the situation in primary care is even worse. 2/9

I know that almost no-one in the UK wants to hear this, but the number of people being hospitalised who are +ve for COVID is increasing again (before anyone asks - we are seeing people admitted because of COVID, & not just incidental cases) 1/6 Whilst the number of COVID +ve people in hospital has risen substantially in recently, there has as yet not been a similar increase in the number of people requiring invasive ventilation, suggesting that vaccines are still reducing severity & the therapies we use are helping 2/6

Thought I'd share some of the points I highlighted during my talk for @Assoc_Anaes #WSM2022 along with some links for those that are interested.
The Good: The UK research response
The Bad: Misinformation
The Ugly: Impact of COVID on HCWs, & for our patients (Long COVID)
1/15 The Good:
Research is our exit strategy from the pandemic & @NIHRresearch have supported the UK to deliver address many of the clinical questions posed by the pandemic. For a detailed timeline of things they have supported, do take a look at nihr.ac.uk/covid-19/nihr-…
2/15

Feeling proud of she @HEAL_COVID Collaborative today.
Thanks to great teamwork between @NIHRresearch @livuni_LCTC @Cambridge_Uni @CUH_NHS @DHSCgovuk @MHRAgovuk @HRA_Latest @NHSDigital @NHSuk @aparitohealth @UKRI_News & multiple HEIs, we’ve gone from submitting a grant to.. ..opening multiple hospital sites & enrolling our first patient in <4.5 months. Not RECOVERY trial fast, but quicker than I ever imagined possible for a trial like this. None of it would have been possible without amazing support & engagement from a multitude of people....

Thought it was time for some perspectives from the bedside about the state of the COVID pandemic in the UK. The strain on the healthcare system is increasing daily, & what we are facing is in no way the same as that we face every year. These are not usual winter pressures 1/n No other winter have I had to comfort exhausted colleagues who have no idea how they can keep going for even another day. No other winter have I needed to tell relatives via telephone that their loved ones are dying & the entire family cannot be there. It is heartbreaking 2/n

This quote got me thinking....there are other examples of illnesses where available vaccines have not eradicated the disease because health/well-being is not as simple as vaccine=>problem solved...... 1/6

https://twitter.com/Zhirji28/status/1330238456237350912

Vaccines work and have been around for a fair amount of time 2/6