Critical illness raises questions that are hard to answer in a single conversation at the bedside. The resources below are ones we return to often — some written for patients, families and carers trying to make sense of an intensive care admission, others aimed at clinicians looking for authoritative guidance on critical care and cancer treatment. All are freely available, and none require a login.
If you are looking for information about a patient currently in the Lifehouse ICU, please speak with the bedside nurse or treating team rather than relying on general information online. Our For Families page explains what to expect in the unit and how to raise concerns.
For patients, families and carers
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SCCM
Society of Critical Care Medicine — Patient & Family ResourcesInformation for patients and families about intensive care, recovery, and what to expect in the ICU. Includes a plain-language glossary of the equipment, medications and staff roles you will encounter in the unit, guidance on communicating with a loved one who cannot speak, and material on life after critical illness. A good starting point if the vocabulary of the ICU is unfamiliar and you would like to read at your own pace.
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COBLH
Chris O'Brien LifehouseThe hospital where our intensive care service is based — a specialist cancer centre in Camperdown, Sydney. The site carries practical information for visitors including location and parking, the free shuttle bus, visiting arrangements, and the supportive care and allied health services available to patients and their families during an admission.
For health professionals
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RPA ICS
Royal Prince Alfred Intensive Care ServiceThe RPA Hospital's Intensive Care Service — a quaternary referral centre attached to the University of Sydney, and one of the highest-volume ECMO centres in Australia. Many of our specialists also hold appointments there, and the close working relationship between the two units supports the transfer of patients who need services beyond the scope of the Lifehouse ICU. The site includes information for patients and families as well as material on the unit's research and training programs.
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ANZICS
Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care SocietyThe peak professional body for intensive care medicine in Australia and New Zealand. ANZICS publishes consensus statements and clinical guidelines used across the region, and its Centre for Outcome and Resource Evaluation maintains the national ICU registries that allow units to benchmark case mix and outcomes against comparable hospitals.
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CICM
College of Intensive Care MedicineThe specialist medical college responsible for training, examination and professional standards in intensive care medicine in Australia and New Zealand. All Camperdown Critical Care Consultants are Fellows of the College (FCICM). The site sets out the training pathway for doctors considering the specialty, and explains what an intensive care specialist does for those unfamiliar with the role.
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eviQ
eviQ Cancer Treatments OnlineA free resource of evidence-based, consensus-driven cancer treatment protocols and information for use at the point of care, developed by the Cancer Institute NSW for the Australian context. Useful in the ICU setting for checking the regimen a patient has received and its expected toxicities — particularly relevant when assessing neutropenic sepsis, tumour lysis or treatment-related organ dysfunction.
Referring clinicians may also find our For Clinicians page useful, which sets out our ICU capabilities, referral criteria and the information to have ready when you call.