As medical treatments and technology advance, increasing numbers of patients are surviving more severe forms of critical illness. The negative medical, physical, psychological and social effects of critical illness and its treatment are often long lasting and not limited to the time the patient spends on the intensive care unit. The primary care management of this complex patient group is as important as the initial resuscitation and treatment in hospital. Carefully coordinated, multi-disciplinary team treatment and rehabilitation is required in order to reduce the morbidity of survivors and their carers.