Critical Care Department (CCD) — formerly the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

To contact the CCD, phone 09 430 4100

The CCD offers flexible visiting hours to enable whānau to visit when they need too. While there may be times visitors are asked to leave — to allow procedures to be done or to ensure rest periods — the CCD offers 24/7 visiting for our patients.

We ask that visiting is limited to 2 people at a time due to the limited available space. Larger groups may be permitted depending on the patient's condition. Talk to the nurse in charge to check.

The CCD is at:

Ground Floor
Whangārei Hospital

How to get to Whangārei Hospital

The Critical Care Department (CCD) at Whangārei Hospital is a Level 2 Unit. This means it offers intensive care to a level that provides breathing assistance (ventilation) and renal replacement therapy. We can support patients with multi-organ failure.

The CCD cares for adults and children with medical, surgical and trauma diagnoses. We also offer High Dependency (HDU) care to these patients.

If you need more complex surgery or intensive care procedures you may be transferred to a Level 3 Unit, usually the Department of Critical Care in Auckland or Paediatric Intensive Care Unit in Auckland.

The CCD at Whangārei Hospital also operates flight transfers for critically ill patients from smaller hospitals across Northland and on to the major hospitals in Auckland and, occasionally, Waikato.

Critically ill patients are admitted under the specialty consultant doctor, but our CCD consultant doctors direct care while the person receives intensive care.

The CCD also offers an organ donation service with support from transplant coordinators in Auckland.

The CCD was formerly called the ICU, and this name change happened in early 2026.