Mark Borthwick
@markborthwick.bsky.social
Critical care pharmacist; what’s your poison….?
June 17, 2025 at 11:31 AM
June 6, 2025 at 8:08 PM
#COVID5years
Quotes that made us laugh in the moment are added to a whiteboard
My niece asks pertinent questions for a school project
Quotes that made us laugh in the moment are added to a whiteboard
My niece asks pertinent questions for a school project
May 24, 2025 at 1:32 PM
#COVID5years
Quotes that made us laugh in the moment are added to a whiteboard
My niece asks pertinent questions for a school project
Quotes that made us laugh in the moment are added to a whiteboard
My niece asks pertinent questions for a school project
#COVID5years
Impromptu hugs between nursing staff before a shift in the critical care covid bays
Impromptu hugs between nursing staff before a shift in the critical care covid bays
May 18, 2025 at 1:18 PM
#COVID5years
Impromptu hugs between nursing staff before a shift in the critical care covid bays
Impromptu hugs between nursing staff before a shift in the critical care covid bays
#COVID5years
A little ‘thank you’ light show is projected onto the hospital
Parallels are made between the Nightingale facility nearing completion, and pandemic flu facilities 100years earlier
We start collecting handprints from our ICU workers
A little ‘thank you’ light show is projected onto the hospital
Parallels are made between the Nightingale facility nearing completion, and pandemic flu facilities 100years earlier
We start collecting handprints from our ICU workers
May 3, 2025 at 1:28 PM
#COVID5years
A little ‘thank you’ light show is projected onto the hospital
Parallels are made between the Nightingale facility nearing completion, and pandemic flu facilities 100years earlier
We start collecting handprints from our ICU workers
A little ‘thank you’ light show is projected onto the hospital
Parallels are made between the Nightingale facility nearing completion, and pandemic flu facilities 100years earlier
We start collecting handprints from our ICU workers
#COVID5years
PIPA going strong
Clinical trials aseptic unit making hundreds of propofol and NMB syringes each day
Clinical pharmacy services to crit care now 7 days a week, 12hours a day
PIPA going strong
Clinical trials aseptic unit making hundreds of propofol and NMB syringes each day
Clinical pharmacy services to crit care now 7 days a week, 12hours a day
April 23, 2025 at 9:08 PM
#COVID5years
PIPA going strong
Clinical trials aseptic unit making hundreds of propofol and NMB syringes each day
Clinical pharmacy services to crit care now 7 days a week, 12hours a day
PIPA going strong
Clinical trials aseptic unit making hundreds of propofol and NMB syringes each day
Clinical pharmacy services to crit care now 7 days a week, 12hours a day
#COVID5years
Renal replacement fluid supplies now under pressure, and start to be micromanaged
Regular counts commence to report back to NHS central, we write on anything handy
Renal replacement fluid supplies now under pressure, and start to be micromanaged
Regular counts commence to report back to NHS central, we write on anything handy
April 15, 2025 at 5:11 PM
#COVID5years
Renal replacement fluid supplies now under pressure, and start to be micromanaged
Regular counts commence to report back to NHS central, we write on anything handy
Renal replacement fluid supplies now under pressure, and start to be micromanaged
Regular counts commence to report back to NHS central, we write on anything handy
#COVID5years
Neuro ICU takes all general ICU work, other expanded/specialist units take covid patients
PIPA in full flow
Clinical trials mass produce propofol and atracurium syringes
Nationally:
Propofol supply begins to wobble
Epoprostenol demand surges and detabilises supply
Neuro ICU takes all general ICU work, other expanded/specialist units take covid patients
PIPA in full flow
Clinical trials mass produce propofol and atracurium syringes
Nationally:
Propofol supply begins to wobble
Epoprostenol demand surges and detabilises supply
April 14, 2025 at 9:13 PM
#COVID5years
Neuro ICU takes all general ICU work, other expanded/specialist units take covid patients
PIPA in full flow
Clinical trials mass produce propofol and atracurium syringes
Nationally:
Propofol supply begins to wobble
Epoprostenol demand surges and detabilises supply
Neuro ICU takes all general ICU work, other expanded/specialist units take covid patients
PIPA in full flow
Clinical trials mass produce propofol and atracurium syringes
Nationally:
Propofol supply begins to wobble
Epoprostenol demand surges and detabilises supply
#COVID5years
A more robust near patient IV prep area is developed - Pharmacy Intravenous Preparation Area (*PIPA*)
Staff trained in IV making and ANTT in a medical school facility
Nurses, medical students, pharmacy technicians, pharmacists collaborate
Critical care surges into cardiothoracics
A more robust near patient IV prep area is developed - Pharmacy Intravenous Preparation Area (*PIPA*)
Staff trained in IV making and ANTT in a medical school facility
Nurses, medical students, pharmacy technicians, pharmacists collaborate
Critical care surges into cardiothoracics
April 11, 2025 at 4:49 PM
#COVID5years
A more robust near patient IV prep area is developed - Pharmacy Intravenous Preparation Area (*PIPA*)
Staff trained in IV making and ANTT in a medical school facility
Nurses, medical students, pharmacy technicians, pharmacists collaborate
Critical care surges into cardiothoracics
A more robust near patient IV prep area is developed - Pharmacy Intravenous Preparation Area (*PIPA*)
Staff trained in IV making and ANTT in a medical school facility
Nurses, medical students, pharmacy technicians, pharmacists collaborate
Critical care surges into cardiothoracics
#COVID5years
After the IV making service falls over, a new collaboration gets it on its feet again
Outpatient areas are earmarked for an expanded service, shielding nurses and medical students are added to the initiative
More critical care areas are converted to covid bays
After the IV making service falls over, a new collaboration gets it on its feet again
Outpatient areas are earmarked for an expanded service, shielding nurses and medical students are added to the initiative
More critical care areas are converted to covid bays
April 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
#COVID5years
After the IV making service falls over, a new collaboration gets it on its feet again
Outpatient areas are earmarked for an expanded service, shielding nurses and medical students are added to the initiative
More critical care areas are converted to covid bays
After the IV making service falls over, a new collaboration gets it on its feet again
Outpatient areas are earmarked for an expanded service, shielding nurses and medical students are added to the initiative
More critical care areas are converted to covid bays
#COVID5years
The near patient IV making service falls over: new staff supporting the weekend are not trained in time, the weekday staff are exhausted
Clinical trials aseptics unit start production of prefilled syringes of propofol and atracurium
Home haircuts begin
The near patient IV making service falls over: new staff supporting the weekend are not trained in time, the weekday staff are exhausted
Clinical trials aseptics unit start production of prefilled syringes of propofol and atracurium
Home haircuts begin
April 5, 2025 at 1:20 PM
#COVID5years
The near patient IV making service falls over: new staff supporting the weekend are not trained in time, the weekday staff are exhausted
Clinical trials aseptics unit start production of prefilled syringes of propofol and atracurium
Home haircuts begin
The near patient IV making service falls over: new staff supporting the weekend are not trained in time, the weekday staff are exhausted
Clinical trials aseptics unit start production of prefilled syringes of propofol and atracurium
Home haircuts begin
#COVID5years
Paediatric ICU empties and hands over the space to adult critical care to make ready for further influx
The near patient IV medicines making area is pushed out of ICU as bays fill up with COVID, putting it in the “PPE only area”
New spaces are eyed up to locate the service to
Paediatric ICU empties and hands over the space to adult critical care to make ready for further influx
The near patient IV medicines making area is pushed out of ICU as bays fill up with COVID, putting it in the “PPE only area”
New spaces are eyed up to locate the service to
April 3, 2025 at 6:54 PM
#COVID5years
Paediatric ICU empties and hands over the space to adult critical care to make ready for further influx
The near patient IV medicines making area is pushed out of ICU as bays fill up with COVID, putting it in the “PPE only area”
New spaces are eyed up to locate the service to
Paediatric ICU empties and hands over the space to adult critical care to make ready for further influx
The near patient IV medicines making area is pushed out of ICU as bays fill up with COVID, putting it in the “PPE only area”
New spaces are eyed up to locate the service to
#COVID5years
Urgent planning for national medicines in critical care is underway
Nightingale hospitals soak up infusion pump supplies (amongst other equipment and resources)
“Making service” commences at OUH (this will morph into PIPA over time “Pharmacy Intravenous Prep Area”)
Urgent planning for national medicines in critical care is underway
Nightingale hospitals soak up infusion pump supplies (amongst other equipment and resources)
“Making service” commences at OUH (this will morph into PIPA over time “Pharmacy Intravenous Prep Area”)
March 31, 2025 at 7:22 PM
#COVID5years
Urgent planning for national medicines in critical care is underway
Nightingale hospitals soak up infusion pump supplies (amongst other equipment and resources)
“Making service” commences at OUH (this will morph into PIPA over time “Pharmacy Intravenous Prep Area”)
Urgent planning for national medicines in critical care is underway
Nightingale hospitals soak up infusion pump supplies (amongst other equipment and resources)
“Making service” commences at OUH (this will morph into PIPA over time “Pharmacy Intravenous Prep Area”)
#COVID5years
Pharmacist upskilling webinars by UKCPA and RPS experience high demand (each event ran at least twice)
Businesses begin supporting NHS staff with care packages
Pharmacist upskilling webinars by UKCPA and RPS experience high demand (each event ran at least twice)
Businesses begin supporting NHS staff with care packages
March 26, 2025 at 6:20 PM
#COVID5years
Pharmacist upskilling webinars by UKCPA and RPS experience high demand (each event ran at least twice)
Businesses begin supporting NHS staff with care packages
Pharmacist upskilling webinars by UKCPA and RPS experience high demand (each event ran at least twice)
Businesses begin supporting NHS staff with care packages
#COVID5years
The redeployment of pharmacists to critical care requires rapid upskilling at scale
The UKCPA and RPS pull together webinars and resources to quickly address the need
The redeployment of pharmacists to critical care requires rapid upskilling at scale
The UKCPA and RPS pull together webinars and resources to quickly address the need
March 25, 2025 at 10:49 PM
#COVID5years
The redeployment of pharmacists to critical care requires rapid upskilling at scale
The UKCPA and RPS pull together webinars and resources to quickly address the need
The redeployment of pharmacists to critical care requires rapid upskilling at scale
The UKCPA and RPS pull together webinars and resources to quickly address the need
#COVID5years
PPE training for pharmacists newly deployed to critical care
Atracurium supply comes under strain, initial plans to consider cisatracurium
Begin looking at 7day rosters
PPE training for pharmacists newly deployed to critical care
Atracurium supply comes under strain, initial plans to consider cisatracurium
Begin looking at 7day rosters
March 24, 2025 at 6:25 PM
#COVID5years
PPE training for pharmacists newly deployed to critical care
Atracurium supply comes under strain, initial plans to consider cisatracurium
Begin looking at 7day rosters
PPE training for pharmacists newly deployed to critical care
Atracurium supply comes under strain, initial plans to consider cisatracurium
Begin looking at 7day rosters
#COVID5years
Inside, urgent planning occurred
Lightening nursing workload a key aim:
-Simplify CD process
-Prefilled syringes made in aseptics
-Individual patient doses made nearby
-COVID order sets simplify prescribing and administration timing
Outside, it was beautiful
Inside, urgent planning occurred
Lightening nursing workload a key aim:
-Simplify CD process
-Prefilled syringes made in aseptics
-Individual patient doses made nearby
-COVID order sets simplify prescribing and administration timing
Outside, it was beautiful
March 23, 2025 at 11:44 AM
#COVID5years
Inside, urgent planning occurred
Lightening nursing workload a key aim:
-Simplify CD process
-Prefilled syringes made in aseptics
-Individual patient doses made nearby
-COVID order sets simplify prescribing and administration timing
Outside, it was beautiful
Inside, urgent planning occurred
Lightening nursing workload a key aim:
-Simplify CD process
-Prefilled syringes made in aseptics
-Individual patient doses made nearby
-COVID order sets simplify prescribing and administration timing
Outside, it was beautiful
#COVID5years
Planning continues in the pharmacy critical care corner
Rest of department swings in to support
Outside, Spring gets underway
Planning continues in the pharmacy critical care corner
Rest of department swings in to support
Outside, Spring gets underway
March 21, 2025 at 9:41 AM
#COVID5years
Planning continues in the pharmacy critical care corner
Rest of department swings in to support
Outside, Spring gets underway
Planning continues in the pharmacy critical care corner
Rest of department swings in to support
Outside, Spring gets underway
January 5, 2025 at 5:12 PM
#Flu
Increasing hospital and ICU admission rate
Dominant strain H1N1: In severe immunosuppression*, it’s Zanamivir rather than the usual Oseltamivir first line
*severe immunosuppression is defined in UKHSA guidance
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Increasing hospital and ICU admission rate
Dominant strain H1N1: In severe immunosuppression*, it’s Zanamivir rather than the usual Oseltamivir first line
*severe immunosuppression is defined in UKHSA guidance
www.gov.uk/government/p...
December 12, 2024 at 5:42 PM
#Flu
Increasing hospital and ICU admission rate
Dominant strain H1N1: In severe immunosuppression*, it’s Zanamivir rather than the usual Oseltamivir first line
*severe immunosuppression is defined in UKHSA guidance
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Increasing hospital and ICU admission rate
Dominant strain H1N1: In severe immunosuppression*, it’s Zanamivir rather than the usual Oseltamivir first line
*severe immunosuppression is defined in UKHSA guidance
www.gov.uk/government/p...
#Flu
▪️Hospital admissions low but rising
▪️Crit care admissions low
▪️When subtyped, almost all are found to be A(H1N1)
▪️H1N1 has higher risk of antiviral resistance
▪️No resistance seen so far
▪️Historically, H1N1 hits NHS system less hard, but unfortunately hits the ICU system hard
▪️Hospital admissions low but rising
▪️Crit care admissions low
▪️When subtyped, almost all are found to be A(H1N1)
▪️H1N1 has higher risk of antiviral resistance
▪️No resistance seen so far
▪️Historically, H1N1 hits NHS system less hard, but unfortunately hits the ICU system hard
December 5, 2024 at 5:46 PM
#Flu
▪️Hospital admissions low but rising
▪️Crit care admissions low
▪️When subtyped, almost all are found to be A(H1N1)
▪️H1N1 has higher risk of antiviral resistance
▪️No resistance seen so far
▪️Historically, H1N1 hits NHS system less hard, but unfortunately hits the ICU system hard
▪️Hospital admissions low but rising
▪️Crit care admissions low
▪️When subtyped, almost all are found to be A(H1N1)
▪️H1N1 has higher risk of antiviral resistance
▪️No resistance seen so far
▪️Historically, H1N1 hits NHS system less hard, but unfortunately hits the ICU system hard