Recovery after critical illness
What is Critical Care?
In Wales, approximately 10,000 people are admitted to critical care per year.
Many of those patients will be ‘critically ill’ when they are admitted which means that one or more of their major organs are failing (e.g. heart, lungs, liver, kidney). Some people may refer to critical care as ICU, ITU, intensive care, HDU or high dependency which can be confusing. For the purpose of the information provided on this webpage we will refer to it as critical care.
The critical care unit has a wide range of staff which includes critical care doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who can utilise a wide range of equipment and medicines to provide organ support, treatment and rehabilitation to help you recover.
In critical care, patients have much greater care needs than those on the general wards within the hospital. Each patient has a nurse allocated to care for them during the day and another during the night, and a team of critical care doctors led by a critical care consultant assess their illness and response to treatment throughout the day.
Critical care in Wales
Across Wales, the following hospitals have a critical care unit:
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
- The Grange University Hospital
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
- Glan Clwyd Hospital
- Wrexham Maelor Hospital
- Ysbyty Gwynedd
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
- The Grange University Hospital
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
- Glan Clwyd Hospital
- Wrexham Maelor Hospital
- Ysbyty Gwynedd
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
- University Hospital of Wales
Click here for more information about the University Hospital of Wales critical care unit or if you would like information about Cardiff and Vale University Health Board please click here.
Cwm Taf University Health Board
- Prince Charles Hospital
- Princess of Wales Hospital
- Royal Glamorgan Hospital
Hywel Dda University Health Board
- Bronglais Hospital
- Glangwilli Hospital (West Wales General Hospital)
- Prince Philip Hospital
- Withybush Hospital
Swansea Bay University Health Board
- Morriston Hospital
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
- University Hospital of Wales
Click here for more information about the University Hospital of Wales critical care unit or if you would like information about Cardiff and Vale University Health Board please click here.
Cwm Taf University Health Board
- Prince Charles Hospital
- Princess of Wales Hospital
- Royal Glamorgan Hospital
Hywel Dda University Health Board
- Bronglais Hospital
- Glangwilli Hospital (West Wales General Hospital)
- Prince Philip Hospital
- Withybush Hospital
Swansea Bay University Health Board
- Morriston Hospital
Map Credit: Health Boards in Wales, XrysD, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
