Children’s intensive care research team at MFT receives prestigious national award

The outstanding commitment to critical care research by a children’s intensive care research team at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) has received national recognition.

The Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) research team from Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH), part of MFT, was one of two winners at the recent Intensive Care Society (ICS) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research Clinical Research Network (NIHR CRN) 2022 Awards.

The ICS and NIHR CRN Awards seek to recognise and celebrate those making outstanding contributions to clinical research, particularly in relation to NIHR CRN portfolio research studies from all professions in intensive care.

The RMCH PICU Research Team was recognised for its success in aligning to the CRN portfolio to deliver on important studies.

Dr Lara Bunni, Clinical Research Fellow at RMCH (centre), receiving the award from Dr Sandy Mather, ICS Chief Executive Officer (left) and Dr Stephen Webb, ICS President (right).

Dr Lara Bunni, Paediatric Critical Care Chief Registrar and Research Fellow at RMCH, said: “We are delighted to have received this award, sharing our commitment to critical care research in children.

Our aspirations of an embedded clinical team and challenges for the future will support our vision to foster a culture of evidence-based practice, striving to improve the care delivered to a critically-ill child.

Professor Paul Dark, Deputy Medical Director for NIHR CRN and, Respiratory Non-fungal Infections Programme Lead for NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), said: “It has been a very challenging time to maintain NHS care delivery through a global pandemic. So, it is reassuring for patients and services nationally that research delivered by teams in Intensive Care Medicine has produced such high-quality evidence to drive best patient care and improve its outcomes.

“We are, therefore, delighted to partner with the ICS to award these prestigious prizes celebrating team leadership and achievements in clinical research by NHS clinicians within their frontline services.”

Dr Claire Cole, Head of Research Delivery, MFT, said:

I am delighted for the team in receiving this excellent national recognition. This is well-deserved acknowledgement of their fantastic work and dedication in delivering critical care research in children, to help inform future patient care.