College tutor

Dr Richard Siviter (richard.siviter@ouh.nhs.uk)

Oxford Neuro intensive care unit is a 16 bed unit comprising 13 level 3 beds, or 11 +4 level 2 beds. It principally takes neurosciences patients but also accepts trauma, ENT/plastics/maxillofacial emergencies. The neurosurgical caseload provides experience in the management of traumatic brain injury, neurovascular emergencies (aneurysm, AVM, stroke), as well as a neuromedical casemix including refractory status epilepticus, myasthenia gravis and Guillain-Barre syndrome. There are postoperative elective admissions from neurosurgery, complex spinal surgery and ENT/OMFS/plastics.

“The NICU staff are friendly, helpful, and supportive. It is a great environment to be a clinician,

and a great environment for supported training”. Dr George Hadjipavlou, Neuro ICM Fellow 2019

The Team

Dr Mhairi Speirs - Clinical Lead for  NICU

Dr Richard Siviter - POCUS Lead, College Tutor

Dr Martin Birch

Dr Dan Wood - Trainee rota writer

Dr Birte Feix

Dr Karina Fitzgibbon- Medical Equipment Lead

Dr Antonia James

Dr Lara Prisco - Research Lead

Dr Simon Raby - Major Trauma Centre Clinical Director, Clinical Lead for Organ Donation

The Rota

The unit is usually staffed by 2 consultants, with a SpR and a F2 doctor. A neurocritical care fellow is often also on duty.  Fellowships may be available throughout the year.

The trainee rota is 1:8. Overall this is a busy attachment, particularly the night shifts. Unfortunately as with many rotas at the moment, gaps may be present due to trainee numbers.

There is ample opportunity for learning and to gain experience on both general principles of critical care and (sub) specialist ICM. We have a good record of retaining trainees for fellowships and consultant posts.

Rota is currently written by Dr Dan Wood (Daniel.Wood@ouh.nhs.uk)

Fellowship Opportunities

The NICU offers a 12 months post CCT fellowship in Neurocritical care with Neuro-anaesthesia. The ratio between the two depends on the training expectations of the fellow. In addition to normal everyday care of patients, duties include running the unit with consultant supervision, and providing resident evening and resident night time assistance to the NICU registrar and sometimes for neuroanaesthesia emergencies. Anaesthesia opportunities include neurointerventional anaesthesia, awake craniotomies, base of skull surgery, complex spine, and functional/stereotactic surgery for movement disorders and pain. Fellows usually take on a management or development project to develop these skills in preparation for a consultant post.

In addition to the post CCT fellow we hope to be able to offer a number of other fellowships in the near future. If you are interested in a fellowship in NICU please contact Dr Mhairi Speirs (mhairi.speirs@ouh.nhs.uk).