Who are the Critical Care Network?

The North West London Critical Care Network is a large Network by UK and international standards, covering a population of approximately 2.9 million adults and children.

Our Commitment

The North West London Critical Care Network is dedicated to delivering high-quality, equitable, and patient-centered critical care across our region. We work collaboratively with healthcare providers and commissioners to enhance clinical outcomes, optimise capacity, and ensure seamless transitions of care. Through continuous learning, innovation, and shared best practices, we strive to improve resilience in our critical care services while addressing the diverse needs of our growing population. Our commitment extends to supporting our workforce, empowering patients and families, and shaping a sustainable future for critical care in North West London.

To achieve this, we focus on:

  • Equitable access to specialist resources and expertise
  • Improving outcomes and quality standards
  • Evidence-based networked patient pathways are agreed

What is Critical Care?

Critical care provides specialised, continuous, and multidisciplinary treatment for patients with life-threatening but treatable conditions. It requires:

  • Specialist staffing: A dedicated 1:1 critical care nurse (Level 3/ICU) and access to multidisciplinary therapy staff.
  • Consultant-led care: A specialist medical team providing round-the-clock oversight.
  • Continuous monitoring: Supervised by trained professionals who can interpret and act on real-time data.
  • Advanced life support, including artificial organ support and therapies only safe within this environment.

Critical care is resource-intensive, serving a small number of patients while playing a vital role in enabling planned and emergency hospital activity. Its value extends beyond individual patients, ensuring the hospital’s overall capacity to deliver care.

Critical care is an active treatment, not just a location. Patient selection by senior clinicians is crucial to ensure ethical and appropriate use. While patient comfort is a priority, intensive care is only justified when there is a realistic chance of recovery. In rare cases, such as organ donation, critical care may be provided to fulfil a patient’s final wishes. However, the decision to admit a patient remains a complex clinical judgment requiring specialist expertise.