It’s only the start of meteorological winter, but the recent rhetoric of the newish government does seem to chime for the multidisciplinary team working in critical care services. It is becoming more difficult each day to keep safe services afloat, with bed occupancy well above recommended levels throughout the four nations.

While there’s a definite wish in critical care to accommodate the long list of elective surgical patients and for emergency patients to be located in the best place, be that enhanced or critical care, it will be most welcome to see details forthcoming from government. We hope they lead to the better flow of patients through our ICUs in 2025 and beyond.

Two years ago, the clinical leads census revealed that 50% of responding ICUs have at least one gap on their consultant rota. We continue to seek triangulating information on recruitment challenges, which appear to be in less urban areas and specialist ICUs. FICM continues to engage with relevant stakeholders, including NHS England and the Academy, to make the case for more intensivists in the future.