Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

Last updated: Wednesday 18 September 2024

General introduction

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a specialist hospital ward that provides a high level of treatment and monitoring for people in a critically ill or unstable condition. The unit at Warrington Hospital provides up to 20 beds for this level of intensive care and support.

A person in an Intensive Care Unit (sometimes called critical care) needs constant medical attention and support to keep their body functioning. They may be unable to breathe on their own and have multiple organ failure. Medical equipment will take the place of these functions while the person recovers.

On ICU beds can be used flexibly between the two types of intensive care - high dependency care and critical care.

High dependency care - for patients with, or are at risk of, developing acute failure of one vital organ such as heart, liver or kidney.

Critical care - for patients with acute breathing failure, or failure of two or more vital organs.

This level of care may be required following major accidents or trauma, complex major surgery, or the most serious life-threatening infections and diseases. 

How to access this service

There are several circumstances where a person may be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. These include after surgery, or following an accident or severe illness.

Within ICU critical care beds are a very specialist service because they provide:

  • specialised monitoring equipment
  • a high degree of medical expertise
  • constant access to highly trained nurses (usually one nurse for each bed)
About the team

Our unit is staffed by an expert team of doctors specifically trained in critical care medicine (known as consultant anaesthetist or intensivists) and specially trained nursing staff.

They are supported by a wide range of other health professionals to ensure that patients needing this kind of care receive the very best treatment.

Patients may also be seen by one of our advanced practitioners who often have several years of experience within the NHS, as nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and midwives within the clinical speciality. They apply their clinical skills to provide high level of knowledge and clinical care to our patients and their families.

Useful information

Critical care can be a daunting environment for both the patient and their family and friends. Our staff understand this and are there to help the person being cared for and offer support to their family.

Read more on what to expect when visiting an intensive care unit and the equipment that is used in intensive care departments on the NHS website.

ICU Steps Support Group

Have you been a patient at Warrington Hospital Intensive Care Unit? Would you like to talk about your experience? We are here for you.

The Warrington branch of ICU Steps Support Group provides patients and their family and friends with an opportunity to meet and in an informal setting talk about their experiences and concerns.

Leaving hospital and returning home is a major step in your recovery and is likely to have been a goal you’ve been working towards for some time. It is a very positive step but it will take time and effort to get back to a normal life.

You won’t have the same support you had in hospital and it can be a difficult time for you and your relatives. It’s normal to feel depressed or frustrated at times because you don’t seem to be getting better.

Whether you’re an ex-patient or a relative, being able to talk about what you’ve been through with people who understand, because they have been through it too, can really help. The team have sent invitation letters to all ex-patients and their families - if you have not received one and would like to attend please contact us on the information below.

The dates of your local Warrington branch of ICU Steps Support Group are below and the times are 6pm to 8pm, at the Village Hotel Warrington, 110 Centre Park Square, Warrington, WA1 1QA.

  • Thursday 31 October 2024
  • Thursday 5 December 2024

To book your place or for general enquiries, please call:

  • 01925 275226
  • 01925 662651 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm)

If you need more information about ICU steps charity go to: http://www.icusteps.org/ 


Contact Us

Addresses

First floor

Burtonwood Wing

Warrington Hospital

We provide this service at