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Welcome

GIANT steps together.........................

Dear friends and colleagues,

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the 39th Annual Scientific Meeting for the Paediatric Critical Care Society. This year’s meeting will be held in Belfast, Northern Ireland between 10th-12th September 2025. The meeting venue is the International Conference Centre, a world class conference venue in the heart of Belfast.

This year's meeting will be hosted by the local organising committee from the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

On behalf of the PCCS council and local organising committee, we look forward to giving you a giant welcome to Northern Ireland for what is sure to be an excellent showcase in paediatric critical care, with a focus on teamwork, collaboration, embracing challenges, and aspiring to excellence.

We are big believers in teamwork and rallyging together and as such the theme for the meeting is 'Giant Steps Together' acknowledging the massive achievements we have made to date in paediatric critical care and the integral work each member of the team play in contributing to the care of our patients.

Northern Ireland is the land of giants, it is the birthplace of the titanic, it is Narnia, it is Westeros. Belfast is a UNESCO city of music. The spectacular Giant's Causeway and is a UNESCO world heritage site. We are excited for you to experience our flourishing place, with breathtaking sights, history and culture.

We look forward to seeing you all in Belfast for this years meeting for what is sure to be an impactful and inspirational event. We have a full programme of exceptional and talented speakers sure to motivate and encourage your professional curiosity. We promise inspiration, lasting memories, and plenty of craic here in Belfast.

Your local organising committee.

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" - CS Lewis

Meet the Organisers

Thanks to

Mark Terris

Biography
Dr Mark Terris MBChB MRCPCH FRCA FFICM
Consultant Paediatric Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Retrieval medicine.

Graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 1998. Struggled to choose between Paediatrics, Anaesthetics or Intensive Care as a career so decided to do all of them! Trained for three years in Paediatrics followed by seven years in Anaesthesia/ICM, which included one year of PICM/Transport medicine in Yorkhill Children’s hospital, Glasgow. Appointed as a Consultant in Paediatric Anaesthesia/Intensive Care in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in 2009.
After 15 years has recently stepped down as the paediatric lead for the Northern Ireland Specialist Transport and Retrieval Service and is enjoying using the extra time to run slowly, listen to loud music and get outdoors as much as possible, particularly in the beautiful North Coast of Northern Ireland.

Julie Richardson

Biography

Dr Julie Richardson MBChB, BMSc, MRCPCH, MA

Consultant Paediatric Intensivist

Graduated from Dundee, found love of PICU whilst a SHO in the Freeman, Newcastle. First ever Grid trainee for Alder Hey, anaesthesia (St James, Leeds) then completed finishing school in Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. Last trainee to have Frank Shann as her supervisor.

Initial Consultant post in Yorkhill, Glasgow then life took her to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children as the first intensivist with a background in paediatrics.

Education and support is other main string to her bow, and she graduated from PICS trainee Rep to RCPCH PICM CSAC Training and then Quality Advisor for many years. Former Deputy Head of School for Paediatrics – NIMDTA. Surprisingly finds herself doing research and very pleased to have more colleagues these days.