University Hospitals of North Midlands is a Major Trauma Centre and Critical Care is an important part of this service. The Critical Care department is located on Lower Ground Floor 2 of Main Building. There are 40 critical care beds spread across five pods on the unit. The Critical Care areas have a dedicated Senior Clinical Nurse (matron) who is responsible for effective nursing care and infection control measures to provide the highest quality care in a safe clean environment. 

Recently there has been a significant increase in the demand for critical care services at University Hospitals and th​e Trust has expanded its facilities to include additional specialist beds for neurosurgery. 

The Critical Care areas have approximately 170 nursing staff and dedicated consultant intensivists who provide high quality critical care for their patients. Many of the staff have undertaken post graduate critical care training and are supported by a practice development sister who ensures all the staff are trained to the highest standard and provide evidence based care. 

When patients are first admitted to the critical care units there may be a long wait before you can see them as the nurses and doctors need to stabilise their condition and carry out any initial procedures that are required. We understand relatives will be anxious and waiting and will endeavour to be as quick as possible. It is normal for relatives to feel anxious and helpless at this time. Please feel free to ask questions of the staff, they will be happy to explain what they are doing and will update you with your relative's progress.

We provide diaries for all our long stay patients and encourage relatives to make comments in them. The nurses, doctors and physiotherapists will do the same because these notes can be very helpful for the person who has been ill to understand what has happened to them while they have been in the critical care unit. 

There may be times when you will be asked to leave the bedside. This is because of the nature of some of the necessary medical procedures but also out of dignity and respect for the patient. You will also be asked to leave at handover time for confidentiality reasons. 

Patients who are critically ill often have difficulty fighting infections and this can be very serious. The staff will do all they can to ensure the patient is protected. You can help too by washing your hands and using the gels before and after contact with your relative. You should ask other visitors to do the same. An information pack and booklet is available for patients and relatives on admission.