Intensive care medicine

Intensive care treatment at HCA UK

We have level 2 (HDU) and level 3 (ICU) critical care units in all our main hospitals, we can take care of you even in the most challenging situations. In fact, one in nine of our beds are for our critical care patients. Receiving critical care is not a choice but provided when medically necessary, the level of care provided will be lead by our specialist teams, clinical experience and medical requirements.

No matter how ill you become, when you're one of our patients, you won't have to be transferred to another hospital.

What are the levels of critical care?

Level 2 - High Dependency Unit (HDU). This level of care is for patients needing single organ support (excluding mechanical ventilation) such as renal haemofiltration or ionotropes and invasive BP monitoring. This level of critical care is staffed with one nurse to two patients.

Level 3 - Intensive Care Unit (ICU/ITU). This level of care is for patients requiring two or more organ support (or needing mechanical ventilation alone). This level of critical care is staffed with one nurse per patient and usually with an intensive care doctor present in the unit 24 hours per day.