PICS Study Group
Clinical Studies
Surveys
Meetings
The PICS Study Group is an informal multi-disciplinary association of PCCS members interested in research. Anyone is welcome to contribute or attend meetings.
History
The inaugural meeting of PICS-SG was held in Cambridge in 2005 with Prof. Robert Tasker as the Chair. From that meeting, several research collaborations were formed which resulted in successful large multi-centre randomised controlled trials such as CHiP, CATCH and SLEEPS. Over the past decade, many other national and international clinical trials have been supported by the PICS-Study Group (eg THAPCA-IH, SPROUT, FiSH, ADAPT, SCARF)
Aims
PICS-SG aims to facilitate research into critical illness in children by:
- acting as a forum for PIC staff to present outline plans for research projects/trials for informal peer review and supportive comment
- encouraging and facilitating collaboration between group members with common research interests
- considering the feasibility of proposals for collaborative interventional trials
How Does it Work?
These aims are supported by group meetings but also by a network of research-active or interested intensive care staff maintained by the Study Group chair.
The PICS-SG Chair (currently Barney Scholefield from Birmingham Women and Children’s Hospital) is available as a point of contact for researchers seeking collaborations amongst UK and Ireland PCCS members and Units.