diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 18e9a527..adef69c3 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ venv/
 *.pyc
 logs.log
 config.json
+.vscode/
diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..906aecb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+    "python.pythonPath": "/root/venvs/datagateway-api-36/bin/python"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common/backends.py b/common/backends.py
index c8db0667..6b65d471 100644
--- a/common/backends.py
+++ b/common/backends.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from common.database_backend import DatabaseBackend
+from common.python_icat_backend import PythonICATBackend
 from common.backend import Backend
 from common.config import config
 import sys
@@ -7,6 +8,8 @@
 
 if backend_type == "db":
     backend = DatabaseBackend()
+elif backend_type == "python_icat":
+    backend = PythonICATBackend()
 else:
     sys.exit(
         f"Invalid config value '{backend_type}' for config option backend")
diff --git a/common/python_icat_backend.py b/common/python_icat_backend.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..96935d0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/python_icat_backend.py
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+from common.backend import Backend
+from common.helpers import requires_session_id, queries_records
+#from common.python_icat_helpers import
+
+
+class PythonICATBackend(Backend):
+    """
+    Class that contains functions to access and modify data in an ICAT database directly
+    """
+
+    def login(self, credentials, mnemonic):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    def get_session_details(self, session_id):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    def refresh(self, session_id):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def logout(self, session_id):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def get_with_filters(self, session_id, table, filters):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def create(self, session_id, table, data):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def update(self, session_id, table, data):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def get_one_with_filters(self, session_id, table, filters):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def count_with_filters(self, session_id, table, filters):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def get_with_id(self, session_id, table, id):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def delete_with_id(self, session_id, table, id):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def update_with_id(self, session_id, table, id, data):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def get_instrument_facilitycycles_with_filters(self, session_id, instrument_id, filters):
+        pass
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def count_instrument_facilitycycles_with_filters(self, session_id, instrument_id, filters):
+        pass
+        #return get_facility_cycles_for_instrument_count(instrument_id, filters)
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def get_instrument_facilitycycle_investigations_with_filters(self, session_id, instrument_id, facilitycycle_id, filters):
+        pass
+        #return get_investigations_for_instrument_in_facility_cycle(instrument_id, facilitycycle_id, filters)
+
+    @requires_session_id
+    @queries_records
+    def count_instrument_facilitycycles_investigations_with_filters(self, session_id, instrument_id, facilitycycle_id, filters):
+        pass
+        #return get_investigations_for_instrument_in_facility_cycle_count(instrument_id, facilitycycle_id, filters)
+
diff --git a/common/python_icat_helpers.py b/common/python_icat_helpers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b