We know how important it is for patients and families to be able to see visitors. Please help us keep our patients and staff as safe as possible by checking the guidance below before you visiting.
Read more on visiting times...
We recognise the impact that a long stay in hospital can have on families and the importance of maintaining strong communication. Our ward staff are keeping in touch with patients’ next of kin directly and our Voluntary Services team can help pass on personal messages from family and friends.
After suspending visiting earlier in the year, we are now able to offer limited visiting to some wards at the discretion of the nurse in-charge.”
Read more on visiting times...
We recognise the impact that a long stay in hospital can have on families and the importance of maintaining strong communication. Our ward staff are keeping in touch with patients’ next of kin directly and our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) can help pass on personal messages from family and friends.
The Queen Alexandra Hospital is located just on the hill slopes of Portsdown Hill overlooking Portsmouth. It is conveniently situated for both the M27 and A3M.
Family members and carers play an important role in supporting patients during an episode of ill health. We are committed to the active involvement of family members, friends and carers during a hospital stay. Family members and carers play an important role in supporting patients during an episode of ill health.
More information on visiting hospital for an appointment.
If you've had experience of using our services and would like to make a comment then please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). Your views are very important to us and we would like to hear where you think improvements are needed or where things have gone so well that you would like to share your thanks or gratitude with the staff involved. When things have not gone so well then you can be sure that we want to hear from you, so please get in touch with PALS.
Our Strategy – Working Together, Improving Together
Our strategy sets out our vision, values, strategic aims and most importantly, how we will deliver against these ambitions for our patients, communities, and people in the future.
It is not just a document, it is for and about everyone at PHU, building on what we have achieved with a renewed focus on continuous improvement and the need to continue to work together and improve together to achieve our goals.
A full copy of the strategy can be downloaded here.
For more information, please visit our strategy webpage.
There are lots of opportunities for you to get involved with the Trust, from volunteering to attending our public meetings, our Annual General Meeting or our hospital open day which is held every year.
We welcome and value your feedback and use the views you share with us in a number of ways to learn and make improvements as well as sharing best practice. Feedback can be provided in a number of ways.
Last updated: 15 October 2019
We are one of the largest Intensive Care Units (ICU) in the UK, admitting around 1500 patients every year. Our new state of the art unit was built in 2009. It offers a purpose designed, high quality 24 bed intensive care unit. We have a large team (over 140 staff) of experienced doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, radiographers, pharmacists and other allied health professionals. Our performance is regularly monitored through the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNARC) and we consistently have some of the best outcomes in the country. We are focussed on providing an excellent service, compassionate and high quality patient care and support for both our patients and their family.
In 2013, Portsmouth Critical Care formed a new collaborative partnership with the University of Portsmouth and is now an academic department. This relationship with the University will mean even greater learning and research opportunities for our trainees including:
• Collaboration in research specifically related to older people Collaboration in research specifically related to older people (University of Portsmouth Ageing Network), respiratory, allergy, including with other departments at the University
• University teaching opportunities
• Collaboration in supervision teams for clinical projects (especially MRes, PD or PhD)
We are a paperless unit and have had electronic clinical information system since 2002. In 2011, we updated to our second generation system, Centricity TM Critical Care and this now includes electronic prescribing. We are a national reference site centre for this system.
Our strong training reputation has led to A* deanery awards in successive years forICM training forICM, anaesthesia andACCS programmes. We actively monitor feedback from all our trainees which is usually very positive. In August 2018, Portsmouth ICU was rated as ’Outstanding’ in all 5 domains and overall ‘Outstanding’ by CQC.
For more information visit - www.portsmouthicu.com
We operate an 'open visiting' policy (24 hrs/day), although we do have to make sure that our patients receive enough periods of rest to improve recovery.
When you enter the unit you will be greeted by our reception staff between 8am - 7pm during the weekdays (8am to 5pm on Friday). After this time and on the weekend you are able to use an intercom system directly to the unit. You will be told if it is appropriate for you to enter the unit immediately or to stay in the waiting room. Your relative or friend will be located on the 'east' or 'west' side of the unit.
We understand that you will be worried and may have travelled some distance to see the person you are visiting. We will do our very best to make sure you see them as soon as possible after you arrive. Please be aware that there may be some delays in you seeing your relative or friend because of nursing or medical procedures. In this event. we will make sure that we try and keep you updated whenever possible with what is happening. When we first admit a patient to the Intensive Care Unit, it can take 1-2 hours for us to stabilise their condition and to provide the best possible care. Again, we will aim to update you and allow you to see them at the earliest opportunity.
Located on level E5 at Queen Alexandra Hospital. The nearest stairs/lift is area 4.
The entrance is signposted 'Critical Care Ward - E5'.
Secretaries: 02392 286844
West Unit: 02392 286035/6385
East Unit: 02392 286852/6853
Critical Care reception - 02392 286000 ext 3380
Staff:
Caroline Cawkill (Matron) - ext 6901 / bleep 1661
Sara Blakeley (Clinical Director) - ext 5756
Critical Care (E5), Queen Alexandra Hospital, Southwick Hill Road, Cosham PO6 3LY
Lift area 4
West Unit: 02392 286000 ext. 6385
East Unit: 02392 286000 ext. 6852/6853
