Visiting to ICU during COVID-19 pandemic
- You can now visit patients in ICU/HDU between 2pm and 7pm and do not need to book a visit in advance (any visiting before 2pm and after 7pm should be discussed with the nurse in charge).
- Please do not visit if you have any symptoms of COVID or any other infections (such as a temperature or diarrhoea / vomiting).
- Please do not visit if you have had a positive COVID test in the last seven days.
- All visitors must wear a face mask in clinical areas at all times. Face masks are provided at the entrance to East Surrey Hospital.
- If the patient you would like to visit has had a positive COVID test in the last seven days then visiting is only permitted in exceptional circumstances. Please contact the team in charge of the patient’s care to discuss your requirements before coming to the hospital.
- We understand that visiting in critical care can be very distressing. We understand, and will try to support you in any way we can. Please let us know how we can help, or improve the experience.
The clinical and nursing staff are extremely busy caring for patients at the moment and for this reason they may not always be available to speak to you on the phone.
We advise the named next of kin to call into the unit after 14.00hrs to get an update. This is because the doctors will be reviewing the patients in the morning therefore updates tend to be available later in the afternoon. The updates are provided by either the ICU medical team or the nurse caring for your loved one. The doctors are unlikely to be in a position to give daily updates however we would like you to be reassured that they would contact you should they have any concerns.
The contact number is: 01737 7768511
If you have further concerns, please contact the ICU matrons:
Chris Beevers and Carole Love on extension 1669
Or by email at chris.beevers@nhs.net or carole.
Our purpose built Intensive Care Unit and High Dependency Unit are based on the first floor of East Surrey Hospital. The ICU has 10 beds for patients needing more advanced organ support, including mechanical ventilation, renal support, and cardiovascular support. A dedicated team of consultants and nurses look after critically ill patients 24-hours a day, seven days a week. The ICU cares for around 600 patients a year.
The ICU team also provides a 24/7 Critical Care Outreach Service for patients who are ill but not severe enough to go to ICU. The Outreach team continues to oversee the care of the ICU patients’ when they are discharged to the ward to ensure their recovery continues.
Some critically ill patients requiring specialist treatment, such as cardiac or neuro surgery, are transferred to other hospitals. The ICU team has a specially designed ambulance transfer trolley (Ferno) which can take equipment like an intra-aortic balloon pump, which provides cardiovascular support to heart attack patients if required.
I can remember the paramedics coming to my flat and put me in the ambulance but I can’t remember any more until waking up in the ICU ward on Tuesday 20th August. The nurses and my 4 children told me what had happened and that I was very lucky to still be here. I must say a big thank you to all your staff and the Ambulance crew for looking after me on that Sunday and to all the staff in the ICU ward you were wonderful and so caring I can’t thank you enough for all you did for me. I am back at home now recovering and feelin