Service Description: The Intensive Care Unit offers intensive and high dependency care. Patients are admitted with serious medical or surgical conditions, including major trauma and post-operative cases requiring intensive care management.
Whilst on the Unit, patients are managed by the Intensive Care Consultants. The purpose of the Unit is to provide facilities for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of multiple organ dysfunction. These facilities include advanced forms of respiratory support, cardiac support and haemofiltration for renal failure.
We have the equipment and staff to care for around 450 critically-ill patients per year, of all ages and with a wide range of conditions. They may be classified as ICU (requiring the highest level of technical and nursing care) or High Dependency (requiring more attentive care than can be provided in a general ward). This Trust is also a member of a local Critical Care network and is able to use other ICU services within Devon.
Patients receive medical care from a Consultant and their team while they are in the ICU. One of these doctors will be the Anaesthetist in charge of the ICU. When the patient’s condition needs less equipment and nursing, they will be transferred to a normal ward.
Service Location: There are 6 ICU beds at the North Devon District Hospital
