Paediatric Critical Care

We are currently commissioned for 6 beds plus 1 retrieval bed (mobile intensive care bed).  However, this capacity can increase to 9 beds during periods of peak demand.

PICU works very closely with all paediatric medical and surgical tertiary specialties.  It supports elective (planned) surgery from the following specialties: neurosurgery, spinal surgery, complex airway surgery (ENT), general paediatric surgery, although the majority of our admissions are emergencies. We are a designated Lead Centre, and the only PICU in Wales. We provide a service to all children requiring intensive care across the whole of South Wales, and have close links with Lead Centres in England, in particular, Bristol, Birmingham and Great Ormond Street.

 

In addition, we have a 6 bedded Paediatric High Dependency Unit. This unit provides step up and down facilities to PICU, and again admits tertiary specialities, and will fully integrate with PICU in the future.

 

The PICU retrieval service has it’s own dedicated ambulance and team of drivers, to take the retrieval team, consisting of a Consultant and senior nurse to referring hospitals and transfer the child back to the University Hospital of Wales once stabilised.  This is available 24 hours a day.