Extensive refurbishment of seclusion rooms at the Edenfield Centre to improve service user wellbeing
The medium secure centre, which is run by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH), provides individualised care and treatment for people with enduring mental health needs. A wide range of treatment is available including psychological and other therapeutic interventions and clinical teams work collaboratively with the service user towards their recovery and discharge.
As part of its Improvement Plan, GMMH has internally invested over fourteen million pounds in 2023 - 2024, to improve Trust-wide buildings, grounds, gardens, and digital systems.
Improvement works of Dovedale, Rydal, Hayeswater and Eskdale Intensive Nursing Suites involved several improvements, including: a complete refurbishment; new doors to improve the ability to observe service users to keep them safe; new improved LED lighting throughout, including mood lighting to aid therapeutic interventions; improved ventilation and environmental controls to make it more comfortable; dedicated external area providing an opportunity for service users to access outside space.
A Cowin Media wall was installed, which has interactive digital TV, radio, sketch and draw package, the option for the Service User to play their own music and access audio calls; bespoke furniture designed and installed, which is fit for purpose; new en-suite facilities, WC, shower and hand wash and hot air hand drying; new flooring and decoration in the observation area.
The Low Secure Lowry Unit Intensive Nursing Suites have also benefited from new resin walls and flooring in addition to a Cowin media screen.
These improvement works have been designed to improve facilities to ensure that service users within Adult Forensic Services are receiving mental health care and treatment in the best environment possible.
The total cost of refurbishing all four seclusion rooms at Edenfield is approximately 1.4 million pounds. Service users were consulted via the ward staff for the images on the built-in units and colours for the resin wall finishes. Consultants were involved from an early stage to discuss how things could be improved from the existing layout for managing and improving the facility for service users whilst in care, and staff treating service users.
The design layout of the seclusion suites is a trust approved layout, so for safety reasons it is considered the current best environment both for staff and service users. The design work was completed in house via consultation with service leads, service staff, the Edenfield security team and Capital & Estates teams, whilst working closely with a local specialist contractor.
From the initial designs to completion, the project took 14 months. This was phased to ensure that service users recovering at the medium secure campus always had access to active seclusion rooms during the refurbishments.
David Lees, Head of Capital & Property, Estates Capital Management, said:
“The Capital Estates and Facilities team at GMMH recognise secluding a patient can be a traumatic experience and inadequate facilities can make the experience worse.
The recent improvement works have created fit for use facilities with respect for the privacy and dignity of patients, safe and appropriate furnishings, comfort cooling and heating, access to toilets and washing facilities and innovative digital technology.”
