Ward Manager: Charlotte Dent

Ward Sisters: Jo Boulton, Kate Timlin, Gerol Williams, Adele Akid

Telephone numbers:

• HDU - 0161 419 4135
• ICU - 0161 419 4237/38

Our ICU and HDU operate visiting times to allow for consultants ward rounds to take place, maintaining patient confidentiality and forward cleaning.

Our visiting times are 2pm - 7pm which is in line with the Trust visiting times policy for these areas.

Our Critical Care Unit houses an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU).

The ICU is designed to provide specialist treatments that cannot be given in a normal ward environment. It provides a specialist service to care for critically ill patients.

The HDU is used for the use of elective surgical patients after their operation and for the care of the patients who no longer need the extra support of the ICU but may still need more advanced monitoring than the ward areas can provide.

The Critical Care Unit is divided into a 7/8 bed Intensive Care unit (ICU) and a 8 bed High Dependency Unit HDU.

Nurse to patient ratios are higher in intensive care than ward areas due to the nature of patients admitted to the unit and the specialist skills required to care for them.

Consultant anaesthetists provide 24 hour cover for the Intensive Care Unit. During week day morning rounds, one consultant will cover the HDU area, whilst another consultant covers the ICU area. At the weekends and after 1 pm the ICU consultant has responsibility for both areas.

The ICU provides:

• Advanced heart and breathing monitoring
• Support for patients who are unable to breathe without help
• Special methods for treatments such as renal support, should this be needed

The HDU provides:

• Specialist pain relief methods
• Advanced heart and breathing monitoring
• Additional patient support to prepare them for return to the wards