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Recovery settings

Recovery from critical illness starts in the intensive care unit (ICU) and continues with support until you are ready to leave hospital to go to a new care setting i.e. nursing home or return home.

The patient journey from ICU to home can vary depending on:

  • the impact of the critical illness on your body and mind and the level of support needed to recover
  • where you live 
  • where your local hospital is based
  • specialist rehabilitation required

Moving from the Intensive care unit (ICU) to the High dependancy unit (HDU)

Most patients (around 80%) will recover from critical illness and the improvement in their condition will be monitored continually by the ICU doctors, nurses and other members of the ICU team. When you no longer require your breathing to be supported by a mechanical ventilator (breathing machine), the ICU doctor will consider moving you to the high dependancy area (HDU) at St Thomas's, which is on the 10th floor in the East wing of the hospital. If you are cared for at Guy's, on the Guy's critical care unit (GCCU), you will remain in GCCU until you are ready to step down to the ward. There is no HDU at Guy's this care is given on GCCU. 

HDU at St Thomas's hospital

While in the HDU at St Thomas' Hospital, less intensive care and further recovery is needed before being ready to step down to the ward. The main factor affecting whether you need to stay on the HDU is the amount of nursing care and input from other members of the specialist clinical team e.g. physiotherapist.

Transfer from Guy's and St Thomas' ICUs to your local ICU or HDU

Many patients live in Kent, Surrey and Sussex and come to Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital for specialist treatment, (ECMO, major heart and vascular surgery) when there is no longer a need for this specialist input, but more time and support in ICU/HDU is required, then transfer to your local hospital will be planned. The transfer from the ICU at Guy's or St Thomas's to the local ICU is planned based on which hospital you originally came from or where your local hospital with the necessary specialist doctors for your ongoing care are are based.  

Medical conditions requiring specialist centres

Some conditions require specialist rehabilitation and these include:

  • injuries to the brain
  • stroke
  • limb amputation
  • long term breathing difficulties that require support from a ventilator (breathing machine).

Brain injuries require specialist input in neuro-rehabilitation centres and transfer to these highly specialised centres requires the neurology, stroke, occupational therapy, physiotherapy team to plan and liaise with the regional units

Stroke rehabilitation occurs on Mark ward at Guy's and St Thomas'.

Long term breathing conditions requiring mechanical ventilation are cared for on the Lane Fox Unit (LFU) located in the South wing of the hospital on the ground floor. The LFU supports the REMEO unit in Redhill, Surrey where some patients are transferred for ongoing care. 

Major Limb amputation is mostly performed at St Thomas' Hospital. Shortly after amputation, when you are medically well and if ready to complete an intensive amputee rehabilitation programme, we will transfer you to our specialist Amputee Rehabilitation Unit where you will participate in therapy every day. The unit has 12 beds and is located at Lambeth Community Care Centre in Kennington, London. 

Homeless patients

The King's Health Partners homeless health team supports patients experiencing homelessness.

We help patients who are attending or admitted to:

  • Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
  • King's College Hospital
  • South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Our team includes:

  • housing workers
  • specialist nurses
  • occupational therapists
  • social workers
  • GPs

We have partnered with Southwark Law Centre to help people who are homeless achieve more stable lives, and in turn become healthier. The service gives legal advice to patients to help resolve house, immigration and benefits problems. Please watch the homeless patients legal advocacy film to find out more about the service.

 

 

 

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Web Link: Headway - the brain injury association

Brain injury can challenge every aspect of your life – walking, talking, thinking and feeling – and the losses can be severe and permanent. It can mean losing both the life you once lived and the person you once were. We all think 'it will never happen to me', but every year around 350,000 people are admitted to hospital with an acquired brain injury. That's one every 90 seconds. A brain injury can happen to anyone, at any time. When it does, Headway is here to...

Web Link: Lambeth Community centre - Amputee rehabilitation unit

Most amputees in south east London will undergo major amputation here at St Thomas' Hospital. Shortly after amputation, when you are medically well and if ready to complete an intensive amputee rehabilitation programme, we will transfer you to our specialist Amputee Rehabilitation Unit where you will participate in therapy every day. For further information follow this link to the website.

Web Link: REMEO unit

In 2014, Remeo and Guy’s and St Thomas’ launched a landmark public- private partnership. As a result, a purpose-built, state of the art, pioneering respiratory and long-term ventilation centre was opened in Redhill, Surrey. The Lane Fox Remeo Respiratory Centre is an extension of the Lane Fox unit at St Thomas’ hospital, a national NHS referral centre for chronic respiratory failure as a consequence of neuromuscular disease, muscular dystrophies, trauma, respiratory...

  • Supported by - GSTT Charity
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  • Critical Care Recovery