Renowned intensive care consultant set to share experience with local doctors

A leading UK consultant in intensive care and anaesthesia will be visiting the island this week to share his expertise with local doctors in Guernsey.

Dr Jim Down, a consultant at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) works at one of the largest NHS Foundation Trusts in England which provides acute and specialist services. He’s had an extensive career in healthcare, including being a first responder at a major train crash, treating multiple victims of the 2005 London bombings and having frontline experience in one of the busiest intensive care units during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Dr Down said ‘My first talk will focus on risk and resilience. Using a series of high-profile cases I will explore the risks faced by clinicians during their professional lives and examine resilience both at an individual and organisational level, with particular reference to the groundbreaking Patient Safety Incident Review Framework that is currently being rolled out through the NHS.’ 

He will also investigate how clinicians make decisions about escalating, withholding or withdrawing treatment, exploring the factors that influence decision making and comparing practice within the NHS and other systems around the world. Dr Down will also touch on how clinicians' approach might change in the future as societal expectations continue to evolve. 

MSG consultant anaesthetist and deputy chair Dr Michelle Le Cheminant said, ‘I’ve known Jim more than 15 years. We met during my first job as a doctor and he’s been a trusted source of advice and support during my anaesthetic training. This has continued since my move back to Guernsey, where he has supported me in maintaining an honorary contract at UCLH as part of the regular off-island attachments that we do at the MSG.  

‘My annual visits to join his team in London provide invaluable ongoing learning in intensive care. I’m excited to welcome him to Guernsey to share his wealth of expertise with our doctors during two fascinating presentations. Visiting speakers such as Jim bring an invaluable external perspective to our island environment and encourage healthy debate!’ 

Dr Down is also an author of two books: his memoir ‘Life in the Balance: A Doctors Stories of Intensive Care’ and ‘Life Support: Diary of an ICU Doctor on the Frontline of the Covid Crisis.’