Non-invasive ventilation

Our acute non-invasive ventilation (NIV) service offers inpatient treatment to people who are very unwell with respiratory failure.

Respiratory failure can develop from many different conditions, but commonly we treat people with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For some people, NIV can be a life-saving treatment.

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a treatment that helps you breathe when you have a breathing problem. Our patients are usually admitted as an emergency through A&E and directly to our dedicated NIV areas, which are called acute respiratory units (ARU). Patients are cared for by the multidisciplinary NIV team. This involves respiratory consultants, specially trained nurses, respiratory physiotherapists and many other members of the hospital teams.

Additional information

Resources for professionals

As part of the development of our NIV service, we created a video for healthcare professionals as well as guidelines and an algorithm explaining when it is appropriate to use. If you'd like to request copies of the algorithm or guidelines, please contact the team.