It's the first issue of 2026, and the first with new editor-in-chief Prof. Richard Body heading the journal. He is joined by senior associate editor Dr. Sarah Edwards, as they take a look at some highlights of the issue.

First in the line-up is a paper looking at how "Same day emergency care" units, or SDECs, have come to mean quite different things across the UK. In some cases, the rule-out processing of SDECs harks back to "What the ED used to do" in past years. The next paper is an examination of the treatment methods for paracetamol overdose, specifically the SNAP protocol for accelerated infusion of N-acetylcysteine. This new analysis considers the likelihood of anaphylactoid reactions across age groups. Third to be discussed is a retrospective study on the relationship between length of stay and morbidity and mortality in older patients. This large study from Singapore suggests a systemic change in approach is needed for handling triaging and discharge of this patient group. The final topic is facial lacerations, with a Best Evidence Topic report addressing the use of topical silicone gel. Many patients are rightly concerned about scarring on such a personal part of the body as their face, and the report finds some encouraging support for use of the gel to improve cosmetic healing.

Read the highlights: January 2026 primary survey

• How is same day emergency care (SDEC) being implemented across England?
• Scottish and Newcastle Antiemetic Protocol (SNAP) 12-hour acetylcysteine regimen for paracetamol overdose reduces anaphylactoid reactions without compromising hepatic protection in all age groups: a secondary analysis
• Association between age and length of stay in the emergency department in a tertiary care hospital: a retrospective observational study
• Should we be advising patients to use topical silicone gel for wound care following facial laceration suturing in the emergency department ?

The EMJ podcast is hosted by:

Prof. Richard Body, EMJ Editor-in-Chief, University of Manchester, UK (@richardbody) Dr. Sarah Edwards, EMJ Senior Associate Editor and Social Media Editor, Royal Derby Hospital, UK (@drsarahedwards)

You can subscribe to the EMJ podcast on all podcast platforms to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the EMJ Podcast Apple (https://apple.co/4bfcMU0) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3ufutSL) page.

One thing you'll never hear in the emergency department is the sound of silence. And if the hubbub should start to lower, woe betide the ED staffer who dares to say, "it's looking quiet tonight." But should we really be so concerned? A paper in this episode's roundup takes a look at superstition versus science. Staffing concerns is another ever-present topic when it comes to the ED, and Rick and Sarah share an insightful evaluation of the time saving offered by voice recognizing "AI scribes". The numbers show some serious benefits, but do they really work? The same question can be asked of the X-ray assessment tools that are rolling out in emergency departments across the world. Rick and Sarah take a look at a study detailing their affect on correct diagnoses. There's also also a case-based paper discussing practices for evaluating IUD-related issues using ultrasound.

This is the final issue with Prof. Ellen Weber serving as the Editor-in-Chief of the Emergency Medicine Journal. Ellen's tenure has been a long and successful one, and everyone in the podcast team wishes her the best in retirement from the post.

Read the highlights: December 2025 primary survey

• Passing the torch
• SONO case series: transabdominal pelvic point-of-care ultrasound of intrauterine devices in the emergency department
• Impact of ‘the Q word’ on hospital speciality activity levels: a narrative systematic review
• Observational service evaluation of voice recognition technology in the emergency department: association with electronic note-writing efficiency
• Evaluating the impact of AI assistance on decision-making in emergency doctors interpreting chest X-rays: a multi-reader multi-case study

The EMJ podcast is hosted by:

Prof. Richard Body, EMJ Deputy Editor, University of Manchester, UK (@richardbody) Dr. Sarah Edwards, EMJ Senior Associate Editor and Social Media Editor, Royal Derby Hospital, UK (@drsarahedwards)

You can subscribe to the EMJ podcast on all podcast platforms to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the EMJ Podcast Apple (https://apple.co/4bfcMU0) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3ufutSL) page.

Despite what the CPR doll might suggest, cardiac arrest patients are not always white, lean and male. So why is that the case for resuscitation training? The first paper in this episode addresses this lack of representation and the impact it has on resus performance. The next paper is a practice review of functional neurological disorder (FND), highlighting the poor diagnosis rate and history keeping for this condition, as well as offering ways to communicate with patients. There's also a paper on the dilemma of febrile infants with concurrent viral and bacterial infections, and another on aeromedical service sedation protocols in the Australian Outback.

Read the highlights: November 2025 primary survey

• We need to talk about Annie
• Diversity of CPR manikins for basic life support education: use of manikin sex, race and body shape — a scoping review
• Recognising and managing functional neurological disorder in the acute healthcare setting
• Prevalence of serious bacterial infections and performance of inflammatory markers in febrile infants with and without proven viral illness
• Risk of complications using a sedation protocol for aeromedical retrieval of acutely unwell mental health patients: a retrospective cohort study in Outback Australia

The EMJ podcast is hosted by:

Prof. Richard Body, EMJ Deputy Editor, University of Manchester, UK (@richardbody) Dr. Sarah Edwards, EMJ Senior Associate Editor and Social Media Editor, Royal Derby Hospital, UK (@drsarahedwards)

You can subscribe to the EMJ podcast on all podcast platforms to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the EMJ Podcast Apple (https://apple.co/4bfcMU0) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3ufutSL) page.