What is Critical Care?

Critical Care, also known as Intensive Care, is a place in acute hospitals that manage patients with critical illness. These services are for patients  who need additional support that cannot be provided in a normal ward setting. Patients may be admitted for one or more vital organ support, such as lungs, heart or kidneys. Sometimes patients who are not critically ill but require close monitoring will be admitted such as before or after surgery. ​

Critical Care units are staffed around the clock and provide care 24 hours 7 days a week. Which also means that patients and visitors may encounter many different members of staff. ​

Critical Care units have much higher staffing levels than other wards because of the patients they care for. The team is made up of a variety of roles. Below is a brief description of the main groups of staff that you may encounter within Critical Care however, critically ill patients will be supported by lots of other staff members from different teams or departments and therefore would be difficult to define all their roles.