a)

Ward for general patients (any group not mentioned below). There are three main categories:

i.

Intensive therapy ward: specially staffed and equipped for seriously ill patients.

ii.

Normal therapy ward: where resources permit the admission of patients who might need all but intensive therapy.

iii.

Limited therapy ward: where nursing care rather than continuous medical care is provided. Such wards can be used only for patients carefully selected and restricted to a narrow range in terms of the extent and nature of the disease.

b)

Ward for the Younger Physically Disabled

i.

Spinal unit: specially designed and designated facilities for patients with lesions of the spinal cord whether resulting from injury or disease.

ii.

Other units.

c)

Ward for NEONATES

i.

Regionally designated: not associated with a maternity ward and in which there are some regionally designated cots for intensive care.

ii.

Non-maternity: not associated with maternity ward and without regionally designated cots for intensive care.

iii.

Maternity: associated with maternity ward (in ward itself or maternity ward nursery).

d)

Maternity ward, classified according to the type of medical practitioner responsible for the patients in the ward:

i.

Consultants

ii.

GPs

iii.

GPs and consultants

e)

Psychiatric ward. Note - that psychiatric facilities cater either for patients with a mental illness or for patients with a mental handicap.

i.

Secure unit: facilities for patients with a mental illness which are secure and have been designated for the purpose of providing assessment for continuously disturbed and disruptive patients who, although not requiring the high security of a special hospital, need intensive care and cannot be managed in an ordinary ward. These facilities may be permanent or interim.

ii.

Short stay ward: facilities for psychiatric patients who are intended to stay less than a year. †

iii.

Long stay ward: facilities for psychiatric patients who are intended to stay a year or more. †