We compared the postoperative morbidity of 44 patients who had had major head and neck oncological resections and who were nursed postoperatively on a general ward with that of 33 who were nursed on an intensive care unit at North Manchester General Hospital and Withington Hospital, South Manchester, respectively. There was no difference in the general morbidity (9/44, 20% compared with 9/33, 27%, 95%, CI of difference -0.26 to 0.13). We conclude that it is safe to nurse the patients on a general ward provided that certain conditions are fulfilled.