In 2008 Saint Francis Hospice, Romford received a grant of £600k from the Department of Health/Kings Fund under their scheme ‘Enhancing the Healing Environment’.
To qualify for the grant each project has to physically improve an area used by patients and must be run by a nurse-led, multidisciplinary team, which must also include service users. The programme explores practical ways in which health care environments can be improved by the use of colour, light, art and design.
An independent evaluation of the scheme conducted by researchers at South Bank University revealed significant long-term benefits from the programme, including: the potential to reduce aggressive behaviour by patients and relatives towards staff; improvements in staff recruitment and retention rates; reductions in vandalism.
The aim of this innovative grant and development programme for St Francis Hospice was to encourage and enable local health teams to work in partnership with service users to improve the environment in which they deliver care. It was clinician led, using a multi-disciplinary project team. The main aim of the project was to achieve a physical improvement which brings demonstrable benefit in an area used by patients.
Saint Francis Hospice’s initial proposal was to refurbish their 22 year old In Patient Unit and other patient areas (including corridors), and to build a small extension and refurbish their 13 bed Day Hospice.
Sara Glover, Direct of Finance and Support Services St Francis Hospice was delighted with the entire project, “Nightingale Associates were…extremely sensitive to our needs and so came up with a solution that challenged our initial ideas but fulfilled exactly our criteria…the project was extremely good value for money…and we are delighted with the outcome.”
The entire project has now been entered for a number of awards including a RIBA recognition and the Building Better Healthcare Awards 2009, which Forbo Flooring won in 2008 in it’s own right as best Ecological Product in Healthcare for Marmoleum.
| Flooring Contractor | J & M Contract Flooring Limited |
| Location | Essex |
| Interior Design | Georgia Burt |
| Floor Design | Grimshaw |
| Architect | Nightingale Associates |
