SAVILE SCIENCE: MICHAEL FARQUHAR -THE BEST MEDICINE. CHAIRED BY SAVILIAN CLIFF COLLIS

Dr Michael Farquhar has been fascinated by sleep, its effects and problems with sleep since a teenager, and this led him to decided to become a sleep doctor. From his wide range of experience and research on sleep he will discuss the important of sleep on our health, what happens while we are sleeping, and sleep cycles. He will also talk about some common sleep problems including insomnia, sleep deprivation and fatigue, as well as some of the quirkier aspects of sleep.

Michael is a consultant in sleep medicine at the Evelina London Children’s Hospital. He holds weekly general sleep, hypersomnia and adolescent sleep clinics, and supports Evelina London’s busy diagnostic sleep study service. He also works with colleagues across Evelina London to support sleep in children and young people with complex medical difficulties. He also advises on the problems of shift work and workplace fatigue. His work led to the introduction of the “HALT: Take A Break” campaign for Guy’s and St Thomas’ staff in 2017.  He has worked with organisations including the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland, the Royal College of Anaesthetists, the Royal College of Nursing and the British Medical Association in this area. He has been recognised with the Association of Anaesthetists Association Award and the Royal College of Anaesthetics Humphry Davy Award for his contributions to the #FightFatigue campaign, as well as the 2020 BMJ Award for Workforce and Wellbeing Team.