Critical care consultant Mandeep Phull (pictured above with a colleague wearing full PPE during the pandemic) joined our Trust in 2018, with a plan to build our reputation for carrying out research, her passion. But in early 2020 the Covid pandemic hit and it seemed research would have to take a backseat.

However, as Mandeep points out, research was exactly what we needed:

The pandemic had a big impact on me. When pressure was high, it felt easiest to say no to research, but that was exactly what we needed; and it was what helped us get out of the crisis. We took part in lots of studies, looking at why for some people it was like a bad case of flu while others ended up in critical care. We also looked at impact on staff.

Something in me changed when the first lifesaving Covid drugs were confirmed – especially as we had been using these to help our patients. Research saves lives and we need to integrate it into everyday care and ensure all patients have an opportunity to take part.

Post-pandemic, Mandeep had even more ambition to improve our status as a research hub and develop her skills as a research leader.

It was following a restructure, which brought together our surgical, anaesthetics and critical care departments, which led to the opening of a new research unit at our Trust, BHRUT CARES – a centre for critical care, surgical and anaesthetic research.

The unit was officially launched on Tuesday 24 February by our Chief Executive Matthew Trainer and Chair, Sarah Betteley, at a special event at Queen’s Hospital (pictured above with Mandeep, centre).

Mandeep added:

We thought it would be lovely to bring our strengths together and form a research unit, supporting our overall Research and Development team.

We’re a place where research should be happening; we have a diverse, ageing population; one of the few surgical hubs in the country; a large intensive care unit; neurology centre; as well as lots of talented clinicians who are keen to develop academically. We want to make research part of how we deliver care to our patients.

The team already has research leads for each area and are working alongside a patient public information group, to ensure the patient voice is heard. Their initial plans are to continue embedding research across our Trust, aligning our work to local and national need, developing research leaders, and collaborating with partners.

And Mandeep adds:

We’d love to have our own dedicated building one day!