Respiratory high dependency unit

Our high dependency unit is a critical care ward, which means we look after patients who are severely unwell with respiratory problems. You'll come to the high dependency unit if you're too sick to be looked after on the general wards, but not ill enough to need to be in the intensive care unit. A consultant ward round takes place at least once a day, every day. We are located off ward D6, in the West Wing.

We've recently had the unit redeveloped, including an upgrade of our equipment such as monitors and ventilators. Six of our nine beds are side rooms with ensuite bathrooms.

We look after patients with lots of different respiratory diseases including COPD, pneumonia and sleep apnoea. We also see patients with respiratory issues caused by neurological problems such as motor neurone disease. We support the regional cystic fibrosis unit, and help to start rehabilitation and recovery for patients who've been on the general intensive care unit for a considerable time. We also help to look after patients who've had tracheostomies inserted while they've been on the intensive care unit and who are starting their recovery after being severely ill.

As lots of the patients on our unit are very unwell, we have a higher ratio of nursing staff to patients to make sure we can give the right level of care, and support the high level of medical treatment needed.

Our team is led by a consultant and includes three doctors, 30 nurses and two highly specialist physiotherapists. We have visits from speech and language therapists, dieticians, pharmacists and other specialist teams as needed.