Our busy and highly specialised Critical Care service provides expert care for the sickest patients in the hospital. We admit patients after surgery, directly from the general wards, and also from the Heart Attack Centre.
In addition, we are experienced in providing care for the most complex heart and lung patients and frequently admit patients from other hospitals, both within the region and from all around the country.
The 33-bed Critical Care area comprises six cardiac recovery (CRU) beds, dedicated to the care and treatment of patients for the first 24 hours following open heart surgery. The remaining 27 Critical Care beds provide a flexible level of care for patients who require ongoing and more complex treatment and support. As a tertiary and national referral centre, the unit also admits patients needing mechanical support such as extra corpreal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), treatment for heart failure, and following transplant and pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) surgery. In addition we treat patients with cardiothoracic emergencies, e.g. aortic dissection and chest trauma.
A nursing team of more than 200 nurses, led by two matrons and 11 sisters / Critical Care practitioners (CCPs), provide continuous specialist nursing care.
Medical care is led by dedicated consultant intensivists supported by a multidisciplinary team. This team includes referring and specialist consultants, specialist nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, dieticians and speech language therapists.
