Andrew Bates is a Research Fellow at University Hospital Southampton and part of the Research Leaders Programme (RLP).

His work focuses on helping people recover from the mental health problems that can follow a stay in intensive care, especially symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Helping people fully recover after intensive care

People are admitted to intensive care because they are seriously ill or injured.

Once they leave, they often need time to recover physically—but many also struggle with their mental health. Around one in five people who survive intensive care develop symptoms of PTSD, which can last for years if not treated.

“When people leave ICU, they’re often dealing with frightening memories and ongoing distress,” says Andrew.

“PTSD isn’t just something that affects soldiers or victims of violence—we now know that people who’ve been critically ill can suffer from the same kind of symptoms. It’s important we find ways to help them recover properly.”

Building a research career to make a difference

Andrew is a trained critical care nurse. Over the last few years, he has received several research fellowships from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and is now preparing to apply for the next level – an NIHR Advanced Fellowship.

The RLP award is helping him build the right team and partnerships to move his research forward.

“Through the RLP, I want to make the most of my current study and support other early-career researchers,” he says. “I’m also building new links with experts in Southampton and across the UK.”

New tools to improve treatment

Andrew’s PhD study looked at whether a therapy called Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) could help people who had PTSD after intensive care.

This therapy involves talking about difficult memories while following movements with your eyes. It has worked well for other groups with PTSD, like military veterans.

Now, Andrew is building on this work by using brain scans and computer models to better understand who is most at risk of mental health problems after intensive care.

In collaboration with Professor Mike Grocott, Professor David Baldwin, Dr Rebecca Cusack and Dr Cathy McKenzie, he’s using advanced MRI scans and memory tests to look at how PTSD affects the brain.

He’s also using data like medical history and treatment details to build tools that could help predict who will need extra support after leaving ICU.

Taking the research further

Andrew’s work is attracting national attention. He will present findings from his current study at both national and international events, helping to raise awareness and improve care.

As part of his plans for an NIHR Advanced Fellowship, he hopes to run a large trial involving hospitals across the UK. The aim is to test whether EMDR really works for ICU patients and could be used more widely.

“If we can bring all this research together—therapy trials, brain imaging, and risk prediction—we can build a clearer and more effective way of supporting people after intensive care,” he says.