Our Emergency Department is very busy right now and some people are experiencing long waits. If you do not require emergency care, please use an alternative such as 111 online.
A high dependency unit is an area in a hospital on the surgical wards, where patients can be cared for more extensively than on a normal ward, but not to the point of intensive care. It is appropriate for patients who have had major surgery and for those with single-organ failure.
The High Dependency Unit (HDU) provides a service of care for very ill or injured patients. Patients on HDU need constant medical support and may require extra monitoring, help with their breathing or they have a severe infection, and need to be cared for using specialist equipment or resources.
Our HDU consists of 4 combined adult beds. One area is screened with the facility to care for patients vulnerable to infections. However, there are no cubicles within the unit.
The unit admits approximately 500 patients per year. Patients are transferred to the unit from all specialities, including ENT, colorectal and upper GI surgery, acute medicine, trauma and orthopaedics.
If a relative of yours is admitted to HDU, they will be cared for by a specially trained and qualified nurse at all times. This nurse may also be caring for another patient at the same time. Each patient’s privacy, dignity, religious and cultural needs will be respected at all times.
A shared care system operates on the unit. This means that the consultant on the ward who your relative was originally admitted under and the HDU consultant anaesthetists will share the medical management of your relative.