The sensory room within the Emergency Department at Causeway Hospital represents an innovative design intervention that enhances patient wellbeing and recovery within one of the most demanding environments in healthcare.
Emergency Departments are fast-paced, high-pressure settings characterised by noise, bright lighting, crowded waiting areas and constant activity. While these environments are designed to support urgent clinical care, they can be overwhelming for many patients. For individuals with learning disabilities, sensory sensitivities, paediatric patients and those experiencing heightened anxiety or emotional distress, the Emergency Department environment can significantly increase stress and make it more difficult to engage with treatment.
Recognising this challenge, the Emergency Department team at Causeway Hospital set out to rethink how the physical environment could better support vulnerable patients. The vision was to create a sensory environment within the department that would provide a calm, supportive space while still allowing clinical assessments, treatments and discharge conversations to take place.
The project was championed by Emergency Department Consultant Dr Fiona O’Neill and developed as part of a Quality Improvement initiative. Inspired by her personal experience as the mother of a child with Down syndrome, Dr O’Neill sought to create a more inclusive and compassionate Emergency Department environment for patients with additional needs.
The project brought together a wide multidisciplinary team including the Emergency Department staff, the Trust’s Learning Disability Acute Liaison Team, wider Health and Social Care colleagues, service users and Creative Activity. Through consultation, site visits and collaborative planning sessions, the team explored how an existing room within the department could be transformed into a flexible therapeutic space.
Creative Activity designed and installed a bespoke sensory environment incorporating calming lighting, projections and a range of interactive sensory features including a colour-changing bubble tube, tactile interactive panels and a sensory rocker. These elements work together to reduce sensory overload while providing visual and tactile stimulation that helps patients regulate emotions.
The room has been designed to function as both a therapeutic and clinical environment. Patients can step away from the busy Emergency Department into a calming space, while clinicians can continue assessments, treatments and discharge planning within a more controlled setting.
Energy-efficient lighting and durable sensory equipment were used to ensure long-term sustainability and minimal maintenance requirements within the hospital environment.
Since its introduction, the sensory room has significantly improved the patient experience within the Emergency Department. Patients who previously struggled to tolerate the busy environment are now able to access a supportive space where they can regulate emotions, engage with staff and receive care more comfortably.
By combining innovative design thinking with strong clinical collaboration, the Causeway Hospital Emergency Department sensory room demonstrates how future-focused design can transform healthcare environments and create more inclusive, patient-centred emergency care.
Links:
Article:
https://www.northerntrust.hscni.net/2026/02/02/sensory-room-now-open-at-causeway-hospital-emergency-department/
Creative Activity Video:
Blog:
https://www.creative-activity.co.uk/latest_news/causeway-hospital-emergency-department.html
