The critical care (or ICU) follow-up service aims to support patients and their relatives following critical illness.
Support for patients starts on the intensive care units (ICU) and continues in the high-dependency unit (HDU), on the ward, and after discharge from hospital.
While many patients make a good recovery following critical illness, some may experience ongoing problems. These can include physical issues, such as weakness, joint problems, breathlessness, pain and sexual dysfunction, and psychological issues, such as anxiety, depression, and problems with memory, concentration and tasks. These issues can in turn affect return to work, school or study, finances and personal relationships.
While many of these issues are identified during or shortly after critical illness, ongoing support after discharge from hospital is sometimes required.
ICU follow-up clinic
The ICU follow-up clinic offers support and guidance on physical and psychological problems and concerns that patients may be experiencing.
The clinic also gives patients and their families the opportunity to ask questions about their stay on ICU and find out more about what happened to them.
Patients are usually seen by a critical care consultant and nurse, and may also be seen by a therapist or psychologist depending on their needs.
We also offer patients and their relatives a visit back to the ICU, which can help them to see the ICU environment in a structure manner and support them in their recovery. Further follow-up visits can be scheduled as required.
We also have a guide which gives patients' relatives important information about the AICU (PDF, 388KB) at Royal Brompton Hospital.
When and where the clinic is held
Patients who have spent 3 or more days on the ICU will receive a telephone call inviting them to attend a follow-up clinic.
Clinics are held twice a month in Royal Brompton Hospital's Centre for Sleep, near the main hospital site, and in the outpatients department at Harefield Hospital, depending on where the patient was treated.
For patients who cannot or do not wish to attend in person, it is sometimes possible to schedule a follow-up telephone discussion with one of the team in the first instance.
Any patient can be referred to the clinic, either by self-referral or a healthcare professional. Please find the contact details below.
Further information
ICU Steps is a charity that is run by former intensive care patients, and aims to support patients and relatives affected by critical illness.
The organisation's intensive care guide contains a lot of useful information about recovery from intensive care.
Contact
Royal Brompton Hospital
Email: afteraicu@rbht.nhs.uk
Phone: 020 7352 8121 ext 2674
Fax: 020 7351 8521
Critical care follow-up clinic
Adult intensive care unit
Royal Brompton Hospital
Sydney Street
London SW3 6NP
Harefield Hospital
Email: aftericu@rbht.nhs.uk
Phone: 0330 128 4536
Critical care follow-up clinic
Intensive care unit
Harefield Hospital
Hill End Road
Harefield
Middlesex
UB9 6JH