The St.Emlyn’s Podcast

Sean Brayford-Harris, a pre-hospital and tactical trauma clinician, shares his expertise on decision-making during high-pressure situations. He discusses the innovative Ten Second Triage tool, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing walking patients and recognizing severe bleeding. Sean advocates for a more responsive approach in triage and explores the critical timing of thoracotomies and defibrillation techniques. His insights aim to enhance emergency medical practices, particularly when time is of the essence.

Join Iain Beardsell and Hutch as they review key insights from the Trauma 2030 conference hosted by the Institute of Pre-Hospital Care, part of London's Air Ambulance. The discussion highlights the emphasis on speed in damage control resuscitation, the ongoing debate on 'scoop and run' versus 'stay and play' approaches, and the nuanced use of resuscitative thoracotomy. The episode delves into advanced therapies like ECMO, their expanding role in trauma care, and the importance of relentless self-evaluation in medical practice. Discover how London's focused approach can provide broader lessons for trauma care and the potential for innovative treatments to become more widespread. Look out for more podcasts from Trauma 2030 over the coming weeks, where we will talk about team leadership in pre-hospital teams, more on damage-control pre-hospital care, nuancing the management of traumatic cardiac arrest, the increasing use of ECMO, and the shocked trauma patient. The Institute of Pre-Hospital Care The Institute of Pre-Hospital Care is part of London’s Air Ambulance Charity, focused on advancing pre-hospital care. They train clinicians, use case studies to guide our priorities, develop new clinical interventions and conduct research. They are also proud to educate and inspire the next generation of pre-hospital care experts through our two degree programmes, co-convened with Queen Mary University London (QMUL). Through the training and education of The Institute of Pre-Hospital Care, they ensure their unique team of doctors and paramedics are there for London, today, tomorrow, always. Listen on MedPod Learn MedPod Learn is a new app that turns medical podcasts into structured learning. Alongside the audio, you get concise learning points, exam-style MCQs, and short reflection prompts — with listening time and activity logged automatically for CPD and appraisal. If you already learn through podcasts, this is a way to make that learning count. Available now on iOS and Android.

Haldon "Hutch" Hutchinson-Bazely, an intensive care and pre-hospital medicine doctor, discusses his transformative experiences in emergency situations. He shares gripping insights from a harrowing traumatic cardiac arrest encounter, where he faced cognitive overload alone. Hutch presents techniques like 'lighting a flare' to manage stress and decision-making. The conversation dives into the importance of high-fidelity simulation training in preparing clinicians for high-stakes scenarios, and small-scale methods to make such training accessible globally.

Phil Lucas, an RAF medical officer specialising in aviation medicine and aircrew care. He unpacks how modern ejection seats work and the split-second decision to pull the handle. He outlines typical injury patterns and practical ED/pre-hospital considerations. He also discusses the psychological fallout after ejection and pathways into aviation medicine.

This discussion dives into fascinating advancements in resuscitation science. The hosts explore arterial line placements during cardiac arrest and the PECAN trauma rule for kids. They tackle the complexities of treating hydrofluoric acid burns and the innovative use of intra-arrest stellate ganglion blocks. Moral injury among emergency responders is candidly examined, while future predictions for emergency medicine spark intriguing debate. Plus, insights from the recent Geckos Global Health and Emergency Care Research Summit add a global perspective to the conversation.

Episode summary Why in‑person conferences still matter in a post‑COVID world. What formats work now: short talks, interviews, demos, strong hosting. How to turn “a great day out” into Monday‑morning change. Guests David Carr — EM physician (Toronto). Leads the Annual Update in EM at Whistler. Focus: inclusive, high‑energy, “hard‑core EM” content. Haney Mallemat — EM & Critical Care (South Jersey/Philadelphia). Founder of ResusX; designs short, high‑engagement sessions that feel like live conversations. Key themes Why travel when content is online? Being in the room changes attention, reflection, and recall. Learning happens in corridors, evening sessions, and next‑day conversations. From lectures to experiences. Shift to shorter talks, couch discussions, live demos, and deliberate hosting. Format follows audience and venue. Programme design starts with the audience. Build for how people learn now. Coach faculty. Pick speakers for delivery and credibility. Strong hosting is part of pedagogy. Good chairs manage flow, time, and psychological safety so the audience can relax and learn. Social learning drives change. Purposeful social time and small‑group evening sessions create the “stickiness” that leads to projects and practice updates. Practical takeaways for clinicians Arrive with intent: bring 1–2 real patient problems to solve. Choose your format: prioritise short talks, interviews, and hands‑on if your attention is fragmented. Make it stick on Monday: debrief with a colleague, write one practice change, set a review date. Present a short “what I learned” to your team. Borrow authority wisely: take clear, referenced points (e.g., contrast allergy/nephropathy policies) back to local committees. Practical takeaways for organisers Audience first: define who you serve; let that drive length, tone, and format. Shorten and vary: fewer bullet‑heavy lectures; more interviews, panels, and no‑slide formats when it helps educators shine. Coach and curate: select speakers for content and delivery; build a pipeline for new voices. Invest in hosting: treat chairs as educators; they safeguard pacing, transitions, and safety. Design the socials: plan purposeful evening micro‑teaching and cross‑disciplinary meet‑ups. Measure impact: mandate feedback tied to CPD; analyse themes and close the loop next year. Risks and tensions Edutainment vs evidence: keep the energy without losing rigour. Access and equity: budgets, visas, disability, and caring responsibilities exclude many; amplify content post‑event. “Too innovative?” Novel formats can struggle with recognition and funding; meet audiences halfway and iterate. How conferences translate to patient care Prioritise topics that solve common bottlenecks. Put change agents on stage with take‑home resources (e.g., clear radiology guidance on contrast “allergy” and nephropathy). Encourage attendees to form local groups to implement one change within two weeks.

Dr. Ed Barnard, UK's Defence Professor of Emergency Medicine, dives into the innovative abdominal aortic and junctional tourniquet (AAJT), a tool designed for non-compressible haemorrhage. He explains its development, how it works to occlude major vessels, and why it’s considered a last-resort device. Ed discusses the challenges of using AAJT, including pain tolerance and practical application in emergency settings. He highlights the need for thorough training and governance to ensure its effective and safe use during critical trauma cases.

Dive into the heat of summer emergency medicine as the hosts explore the rising challenge of nitazenes, a new class of potent synthetic opioids. They tackle serotonin syndrome, showcasing its musculoskeletal signs and the importance of rapid cooling in drug-induced hyperthermia. Discover the implications of the new urgent care plan in the UK and the surprising findings on salbutamol for renal colic. Learn about psychonaut culture and risky self-experimentation that can complicate clinical practices. Stay informed in the fast-evolving world of toxicology!

Iain and Simon  return after a brief hiatus to discuss key blog posts from April and May on the St Emlyn's Podcast. They highlight notable conferences including IncrEMentum 2025 in Spain, The Big Sick in Zermatt, and the BASICs Conference. Discussions cover content from recent emergency medicine research, the importance of compassion and patient-centred care, and operational strategies to avoid emergency department overcrowding. Insights are also shared from fieldwork in South Africa on emergency thoracotomies and their impressive survival rates.

The discussion kicks off with cannabis edibles and their implications in emergency medicine, revealing the need for awareness among healthcare professionals. Next, the critical role of pre-hospital resuscitative thoracotomy for traumatic cardiac arrest is examined, emphasizing rapid intervention's importance. The podcast also highlights a groundbreaking study on low-dose ketamine for pain management in opioid-dependent patients. Finally, reflections on resilience and workplace culture in emergency medicine wrap up the conversation, inspiring thoughts on life and loss.