NNUH launches Acute Respiratory Care Unit

A new service has begun at the NNUH to improve care for patients who are acutely unwell with respiratory illnesses.

A six bedded Acute Respiratory Care Unit (ARC) has been developed on Hethel Ward, which will be staffed by specialists in respiratory care.

The Ventilatory Support and Sleep Medicine Team in Respiratory Medicine have launched the service, which includes provision and the expansion of non-invasive ventilatory support at the hospital.

The Trust treats more than 150 patients a month with acute respiratory illness, including severe respiratory failure, pneumonia, pneumothorax and pulmonary embolism.

The 24/7 ARC unit on Hethel ward has a staffing ratio of one nurse to three patients dedicated to delivery of high quality acute respiratory care.

Dr Prasanna Sankaran, Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at NNUH, said: “We hope to see significant improvements in patient outcomes by caring for these acutely unwell patients in a designated clinical area with a highly skilled nursing and medical team.”

The development of the new service follows the adoption of best practice guidelines following a review of outcomes of patients receiving acute non-invasive ventilation in hospitals across the UK.

The Hethel acute respiratory care team Georgina Siggins, Prasanna Sankaran, Ellen Metcalfe, Philippe Grunstein, Vicky Ershad and Barnie Noblet