The Basingstoke Critical Care Unit is a specialised area in the hospital. It includes Intensive Care (ICU) and High Dependency (HDU) areas.

Critical Care is for patients who are critically unwell and need additional support that cannot be provided in a normal ward setting.

During critical illness, vital parts of the body (organs) may stop working. We are able to support one or more of a patient's vital organs, such as their lungs, heart or kidneys.

Patients who are not critically unwell may be admitted to Critical Care if they require very close monitoring, such as after major surgery.

In Critical Care, patients are closely monitored and treated by a team of specially trained healthcare professionals.

We are one team who work across both:

  • ICU - Critical Care A (CCA)
  • HDU - Critical Care B (CCB)

We welcome families and friends to spend time with their loved ones. Thank you for visiting.

Visiting hours

8:30am – 7:30pm

You are welcome to visit at any time during the day, as long as it works for the patient's medical and nursing needs.

To keep things calm and comfortable for everyone, we ask for no more than two visitors per patient at a time.

Caring comes first

Our main job is to look after patients, so sometimes we'll need to pause visits (or ask you to leave) for short periods, for example:

  • Staff handovers (7:30–8:00am and 7:30–8:00pm)
  • Doctors' rounds (morning and late afternoon)
  • Other essential care activities, like rehabilitation or personal care
  • We may also ask visitors to step out briefly when care is happening nearby (to other patients) so everyone's privacy is respected

Visiting outside hours

If you would like to visit outside the usual times, please speak with the nurse in charge. We will do our best to be flexible and accommodate your visit, depending on the needs of the patient.

Entering the unit

If the door buzzer takes a moment to be answered, please be patient — our staff are busy helping patients. We will come as soon as we can.

Please do not let other visitors into the ward behind you.

Respecting privacy

Please do not take photos, videos, or recordings of patients or staff unless they have said it's okay. Be mindful of other visitors and families and any details you might overhear. We ask that you switch off your mobile phone when visiting the unit. If you need to make a phone call, you can do so in the corridor or waiting room.

Our units and visitors' rooms

There are two Critical Care Units: CCA and CCB. Outside CCA you'll find two visitors' rooms; outside CCB there is one visitors' room. These spaces are available for you to wait comfortably while your loved one is being cared for.

Preventing infection

  • You can help by washing your hands and using the antibacterial gel before and after touching a patient and visiting the unit.
  • Please don't visit if you are unwell. Our patients are particularly vulnerable to infections.
  • Flowers are not permitted in the unit as they can be an infection risk to our patients 

Parking

Free parking permits are available for up to two vehicles per patient. Please ask a member of staff for details.

Toilets

The nearest visitor toilets are located next to the CCB visitors' room. An accessible toilet is just opposite. Please follow the signs in the corridor.

Food and drink

Hot drinks are available in the CCA visitors' room. Please feel free to help yourself while you wait. The restaurant is on B floor.

Please don't bring food or drink into Critical Care. This helps keep everyone safe and avoids distress for patients who cannot eat or drink.

Questions

If you'd like more information, please speak to the nurse in charge or clinical matron.

 

Directions and access guide

Critical Care Basingstoke - located in the main hospital building on C floor.

We understand this can be a worrying time. If you have questions, please ask the Critical Care staff. You will also have opportunities to receive updates from the medical team.

Sometimes a patient's condition may change quickly. We will try to update you as soon as possible. Please make sure we have your correct contact details.

The length of time that patients spend in Critical Care varies a lot. Patients who are admitted for close monitoring after an operation might only need to stay in Critical Care overnight or for a few days. Other patients might require Critical Care treatment for weeks or even months.

It is often very difficult to know how patients will respond and how quickly. We know that this can be very unsettling and we will always try to keep you updated.

 

What your friend or relative may look like

Patients may have:

  • Breathing support (oxygen mask or breathing tube)
  • Tubes in their neck or arm for monitoring or giving medication
  • A monitor showing heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels

Staff will explain what they are doing, even if the patient seems unconscious, as some people can still hear and may remember later.

Often patients in Critical Care are sedated. There are a number of reasons why patients may need sedation, including if patients require the help of a ventilator for breathing.

 

What you can do to help

Even if your loved one appears asleep or sedated, talking to them can be comforting.

You can:

  • Share memories
  • Read from a book or magazine
  • Bring small personal items or photos

You may also be asked to complete a “This Is Me” form so we can get to know them better.

Families are welcome to take part in simple care, such as applying moisturiser or brushing hair — please ask the bedside nurse if you wish to help.

We have higher staffing levels than other wards because of the patients we care for.

Our team includes doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, advanced critical care practitioners and support staff. The main goal of our team is to provide the best possible care and support for all our patients and their families.

Nurses look after one or two patients at a time. Although they may sometimes be required to observe other patients for short periods, our patients are constantly being monitored.

The medical team is led by our consultants. Doctors are always present on the unit and a consultant is on call, day and night.

Nursing shifts

Day 7:30am – 8:00pm

Night 7:30pm – 8:00am

 

Bedside space is limited, but essential items such as glasses and hearing aids are very helpful if you wish to bring them in.

Personal toiletries are appreciated and may include:

  • Soft toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Shower gel
  • Shampoo and conditioner
  • Hairbrush or comb
  • Shaving items
  • Moisturiser or hand cream
  • Deodorant

As your friend or relative starts to recover, the nursing team may suggest bringing in some comfortable clothing to support their rehabilitation and help them feel more like themselves.

Equipment and treatments

Arterial, central, or IV lines
Small tubes in arms or the neck attached to pumps to provide monitoring, fluids, nutrition and medication.
Bedside monitor
Used to measure important bodily functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure and the level of oxygen in the blood.
Breathing support
Oxygen might be delivered via facemask. Some patients need help from a ventilator – a machine that helps with breathing via a tube in the mouth. Patients with a breathing tube will not be able to speak.
Blood pressure support
Fluids or medications may be used if blood pressure is low.
Kidney support (dialysis or haemofiltration)
Used when the kidneys are not working well.
Nutritional support
Given through a feeding tube or directly into a vein if a patient cannot eat normally.
Drains and catheters
These are tubes used to remove any build-up of blood or fluid from the body.

 

It is common for critically ill patients to experience delirium, a complex set of symptoms that may include:

  • Hallucinations or paranoia
  • Confusion or feeling frightened
  • Difficulty thinking clearly or explaining themselves
  • Being unusually sleepy, withdrawn or lacking in energy

Delirium can be upsetting for both patients and their loved ones. However, it is usually temporary and often improves as the patient's condition stabilises and they begin to recover.

If you have any worries or questions, please speak to the bedside nurse. They are there to support you and help explain what is happening.

Once a person no longer needs Critical Care, they can be transferred to a different ward to continue their recovery. Some people may leave Critical Care after a few days. Others may need to stay for months.

Critical Care Outreach Team

The Critical Care Outreach Team are specialist nurses and physiotherapists. If you or your relative became unwell on the ward before admission to Critical Care, we may have helped care for you and assisted with your admission to the unit.

Our role continues after discharge to the ward. We visit you on the ward after you leave Critical Care. We check that you are recovering well and safe. We make sure your care plan is clearly shared with the ward team. Our Outreach Physiotherapist will see higher-risk patients to support their rehabilitation needs.

Diaries

The bedside nurse will complete a diary noting the day's events on our electronic system. This diary is a record of your friend or relative's progress day to day and is designed to help patients have an account of events during their stay.

The diary does not include detailed medical information such as blood results or test findings. However, it will note whether your friend or relative was breathing independently or required support, the visitors they received, and any other significant events during the day.

Many patients have said that the diary is invaluable in helping them come to terms with their critical illness experience. After discharge from Critical Care, patients often report gaps in their memory. The diary can help them piece together what happened during their time in the unit and support their recovery.

The diary will be printed and given to your friend or relative when they are discharged to the ward. If they do not receive it at that time, it will be offered to them during their Critical Care follow-up call with the team after they have been discharged home.

Other

Religious and spiritual support 

The hospital chaplaincy team visit Critical Care on a regular basis and are available 24/7. Please phone 01256 314901 or email chaplaincy@hhft.nhs.uk for further support.

Many people who leave Critical Care will make a good recovery. But sometimes there can be lingering problems, such as:

  • Weakness and stiffness
  • Extreme tiredness (fatigue) and a lack of energy
  • Loss of appetite and weight loss
  • Sleep problems
  • Depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Problems with mental abilities – for example, not being able to think clearly and being forgetful
  • Frightening memories of things that did not actually happen. These abnormal memories are called ‘delusions’. It can sometimes be very difficult to work out what was real and what wasn't.

We run a follow-up clinic for patients and relatives. You will receive a letter or phone call a few weeks after the patient returns home.

If you would like to speak to someone sooner, please email: CriticalCare.FollowUpClinic@hhft.nhs.uk