A Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
Brenda Marsh reports
Critical care, worldwide, has been closely related to anaesthesia and traditionally considered the role of anaesthetist. However, about 30 years ago critical care expanded and intensive care unit (ICU) teams increasingly spread expertise to critically ill patients in other hospital wards, ultimately to become intrinsic in decisions on patients with co-morbities.
In most European countries there are now a variety of multidisciplinary training schemes, but only Spain has provided a specific training scheme and qualification in intensive care medicine (ICM). So, similarly, has Switzerland.
In the United Kingdom the Intercollegiate Board for Training in Intensive Care Medicine [IBTICM] was formed in 1996 to overseethe UK Diploma in Intensive Care Medicine (DICM) and to support career entry for trainees in anaesthesia, medicine, emergency medicine and surgery. Following the lengthy efforts of the presidents of various Royal Colleges with members working in critical care medicine, The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine of the United Kingdom, hosted in the Royal College of Anaesthetists, was launched at last in May 2010.
Dr Judith Hulf, Chair of the Faculty of ICM Steering Group, has now announced that intensivist Professor Julian Bion FRCA, of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, will be formally admitted as the Foundation Dean of the new Faculty this November, when FICM Board Members* meet for the first time.
* Appointed representatives of the parent Colleges, representatives from the Intensive Care Society, plus a trainee in advanced ECM and one lay member.
03.11.2010
