The role of the intensive care unit in a district hospital.

The evolution of an intensive care facility in a District General Hospital is recorded. Optimum use of the Unit was achieved by accepting both critically ill and high dependency care patients. This has been of benefit to both the staff and patients and may be reflected in the falling mortality of the critically ill surgical patient. High dependency care patients now only stay 1.3 days and there has been no mortality. In view of the ageing population and the cost of such units, this dual role in the District General Hospital Intensive Care Unit appears justified.