Transfer of the critically ill adult: Building an infrastructure for Wales

Abstract

Transfer of the critically ill adult is an integral part of working life for intensive care staff in Wales and the rest of the UK. The numbers of inter-hospital transfers have been increasing year on year (approximately 550 last year) due to greater pressures on intensive care beds and greater specialisation at tertiary centres. Transfers have traditionally taken place in an ad hoc way with poor co-ordination between the stakeholders. In the North Wales Critical Care Network (NWCCN), holistic steps have been taken to improve the service and have succeeded in making the process of transfer safer. Although this work has been led by the network, it has been approached in a collaborative way working closely with the South East Wales Network (SECCN) and the Mid- and West- Wales Network (MWCCN), as well as the Welsh Ambulance Service, Welsh Air Ambulance and the Royal Air Force search and rescue. This article describes the process. © The Intensive Care Society 2010.