Keynote: Derek Cribbin

National Director of Nursing in Organ Donation Transplant Ireland

Since March 2026, Derek has been the National Director of Nursing in Organ Donation Transplant Ireland. From 2016 to 2026 Derek was the Director of Nursing Project lead for Critical Care Services with the National Clinical Programe for Critical Care in Ireland. During this time, Derek was responsible for the development of sustainable workforce planning for Critical Care Nursing and ensuring that as Critical Care Capacity grew, care standards remained at their highest.

He was a member of the Guideline Development Group for the Irish National Early Warning System (INEWS) 2 and has led the development of ANP led Critical Care Outreach services for deteriorating patients across 15 Hospitals, as recommended within INEWS V2.

He is a former Chair of the Irish Association of Critical Care Nurses, and has worked closely with the British Association of Critical Care Nursing and the National Outreach Forum UK.

Derek is passionate about Critical Care Nursing and the impact that you all have on patient outcomes and the wider hospital working environment.

Why Workforce Planning Matters More Than Ever

Derek’s talk will focus on the importance of empowering all Nurses working in Critical Care, from Undergraduate placement to Advanced Nurse Practitioners and those working in senior critical care nursing managerial positions to set our standards and ensuring accountability to achieve these.

To do this, we must understand what these standards are, how we set them and how we benchmark them. But most importantly, we must set the standards for our workforce planning, with defined rationale.

Keynote: Natalie Pattison

Professor of Clinical Nursing (University of Hertfordshire, East and North NHS Trust)

Professor Natalie Pattison is a clinical academic who has worked clinically in cancer, critical care and critical care outreach. She is a Professor of Clinical Nursing with a joint appointment across the University of Hertfordshire and East and North Herts NHS Trust (ENHT). Natalie also holds a Researcher in Residence (ICU) position at Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. She is the clinical lead for the critical care follow-up service at ENHT, combining this with a research role. Her research interests focus on her clinical area of critical care and critically ill ward patients, end of life in critical care, disability in critical care, and workforce in critical care. She is widely published in critical care (>150 publications) and leads a research programme of supportive care in ICU and workforce research. She is Co-Chair of the National Outreach Forum, past-Chair of the UK Critical Care Research Group, and immediate past-Chair of UK Critical Care Nursing Alliance.

SEISMIC Impact: Redefining Nurse Staffing to Improve Patient Experience in Intensive Care

Professor Natalie Pattison will share groundbreaking findings from the SEISMIC study, which examines how different staffing levels and models in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) influence both patient outcomes—including mortality rates and infection control—and nurse outcomes, such as burnout and job satisfaction. This evidence-based session will provide valuable insights into optimising staffing strategies for safer, more sustainable critical care environments.

Keynote: Cora Presley

Deputy Director in the National Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Directorate at NHS England

Cora Presley has experience spanning critical care, strategic transformation, and system resilience across both the United States and the United Kingdom. She led critical care services through the COVID-19 pandemic in both countries, overseeing frontline operations and pioneering innovations in Tele-ICU and Neuro Critical Care delivery. Currently serving as a Deputy Director in the National Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Directorate at NHS England, Cora leads Transformation and Resilience programmes focused on Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) and national incident coordination. Her work supports nursing leadership and system-wide preparedness across England.

Cora holds a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from Loyola University New Orleans and is dual registered in the US and UK. She has been instrumental in developing high-performing teams, implementing Lean process improvements, and driving quality outcomes in complex care environments. Her leadership has contributed to multiple successful accreditation surveys, Magnet recognition, and the establishment of innovative care models.

Cora is passionate about workforce development, shared governance, and advancing nursing’s role in system transformation. She continues to champion resilience, safety, and excellence in patient care across local and national settings.


Igniting Leadership and Unity in Critical Care Nursing: Inspiring a Future of Excellence

Cora Presley will focus on building resilience and strong leadership within the critical care nursing workforce. Her session will explore strategies to support well-being, adaptability, and professional growth, shaping the future of our profession through visionary leadership and a culture of empowerment.

Keynote: John Gilmore

Assistant Professor and Head of General Nursing at University College Dublin

Dr John Gilmore is Assistant Professor and Head of General Nursing at University College Dublin, as well as a Fulbright HRB Health Impact Scholar. He has over 15 years of clinical experience working in intensive care units across Ireland and the UK, and now works on advancing equity within healthcare systems. John’s research focuses on improving health access and outcomes for marginalised and minoritised groups, with a particular emphasis on LGBTQIA+ health. He is widely published in this field and has contributed significantly to advancing inclusive healthcare education and practice. He is a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Huddersfield and an Adjunct Research Fellow at Western Sydney University. He has also held visiting positions at the University of California, San Francisco and Columbia University, New York.

Equity at the Bedside: Advancing LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Care in Intensive Care Settings  

Despite ongoing advancements in critical care, intensive care units can remain challenging environments for LGBTQIA+ patients, where issues of visibility, identity, and equity intersect with high-acuity clinical care. This keynote will explore how principles of justice and equity can be embedded within ICU practice to promote truly inclusive, person-centred care.

Drawing on clinical experience, research evidence, and educational innovation, Dr Gilmore will examine the structural, interpersonal, and cultural barriers that impact LGBTQIA+ patients in critical care settings. The session will highlight practical strategies for fostering inclusive communication, affirming identities, and embedding equity into everyday ICU practice.

This keynote will challenge attendees to reimagine ICU environments not only as sites of clinical excellence, but as spaces where dignity, inclusion, and justice are actively upheld for all patients.