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• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 34 >> He was looking forward to going home but was transferred to another hospital for an operation.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2001 because of acute pancreatitis. Spent 46 days in intensive care and 1 month in general ward. Needed to have surgery and was transferred to another hospital. Spent 4 weeks in hospital before surgery, 30 days in intensive care and 3 months in general ward. Overall length of stay in 2 hospitals was 7 ½ months.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 05 >> She talks about the physiotherapy she had - in ICU, HDU and then on a general ward - until she was strong enough to be discharged.

Had pneumonia and severe sepsis. Was in intensive care for 22 days, the High Dependency Unit for 10 days and just over a week on a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 01 >> Her experience of intensive care led her and her colleagues to change several things in their unit, including having clocks, new bins, pamphlets and a

Was admitted to intensive care in 1998 because of a complication during pregnancy, leading to septic shock. Was in ICU for 11 days and in general ward for 2 weeks. Recovered well and has had no further problems related to that illness.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 05 >> Her hallucinations started wearing off in HDU but she felt bored because she was unable to do anything.

Had pneumonia and severe sepsis. Was in intensive care for 22 days, the High Dependency Unit for 10 days and just over a week on a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 04 >> She was discharged because she could walk and her partner could look after her at home.

Had bowel complications and septicaemia. Was in intensive care for nearly 5 weeks. Spent 1 week in a High Dependency Unit and was then discharged.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 28 >> He was transferred to HDU after doctors removed his tracheostomy and he gradually started improving and eating more.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2004 because of septicaemia. Spent about 7 weeks in intensive care and 4 weeks in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 27 >> He was moved back to HDU on several occasions because of a recurring infection.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of pancreatitis and septicaemia. Spent 2 weeks in intensive care, 2 weeks in a High Dependency Unit; 6 weeks in a general ward, and 2 weeks in a rehabilitation hospital.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 29 >> She had vague memories of her first time in HDU and found it seemed more crowded the second time she was there.

Had a planned hysterectomy in 2004. Complications led to a second operation. Was admitted to intensive care because of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Spent 2 weeks in intensive care, 1 day in High Dependence Unit and 1 week in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 30 >> She found the nursing care she received one of the most upsetting parts of her hospital experience.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of epiglottitis and severe sepsis. Spent about 6 days in intensive care and 5 days in a High Dependency Unit.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 18 >> He felt that being in HDU could have prevented mistakes made on the ward because of poor communication.

Was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in 2004. 2-day stay in ICU was planned, following surgery. Transferred to general ward in private hospital. Had to have a second operation and, because of complications, was admitted to ICU in NHS hospital. Spent 18 days in ICU. Had several more operations. In hospital for 5 weeks.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 39 >> HDU would have been better for her husband who was still very confused and weak after being in ICU.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 after having an accident in the home. Spent about 4 days in intensive care and 3 days in a trauma ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 06 >> She recalled talking to an outreach nurse about transferring to a ward and valued her support during this transition.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2003 because of pneumonia, and developed septicaemia. Spent 3 weeks in ICU, 36 hours in a High Dependency Unit and 5 weeks on a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 35 >> He was still too weak to move or lift things when he was transferred to a ward and would have liked a HDU in his hospital.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2004 because of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. This is a rare disorder of the peripheral nerves, those outside the brain and the spinal chord. Spent 17 days in intensive care and about 1 week in general ward. Was then transferred to rehabilitation ward in another hospital, and spent about 3 months there.