Step Exhibitions
Kentmere Ward Refurbishment, Westmorland General Hospital, Kendal
Nominee Information
The Kentmere Ward at Westmorland General Hospital provides mental health and wellbeing services for older adults of varying acuity, a vital geographic outpost for MH services for remote communities around Kendal, delivered by Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust.
Part of the Government dormitory eradication programme, through the PeoCure22 framework, we redeveloped the 12 bedded mixed gender ward to provide modern, flexible facilities. Using lessons learnt from our experienced team including Kier and Gilling Dod Architects, we collaborated with clinical and service user groups implementing relevant dementia guidelines to develop the new therapeutic environment.
The re-purposed ward gives each service user a dignified personal bedroom with views to the outside space and private ensuite facilities. The two bedroom spaces provide separate private areas for male and female service users, with dedicated therapy space. New therapeutic spaces include an ADL kitchen, recreation room and art room alongside a courtyard garden accessible from the shared living area. The design offers flexibility to adapt to different patient groups and is split so that no member of the opposite sex can enter the incorrect bedroom wing.
Improved shared clinical and non-clinical spaces for staff include on-ward space for multi-disciplinary teams, office space for consultant medics and junior doctors and a dedicated tribunal suite with discrete entrance. A new pharmacy is also co-located on the ward for improved efficiencies.
We integrated the ward into the surrounding environment, transforming an unusable courtyard garden into a safe space for service users to relax outside on new seating or tend to their own raised planters. Imagery on the secure fence within the garden blends with the trees beyond and hides existing hospital FM equipment. The garden now has direct access from on-ward day space to the garden with improved lines of sight for staff.
The refreshed ward compliments the existing setting and was designed not to detract from a hierarchy of existing entrances, whilst operating in isolation. Working with the existing building to deliver value for money, we focused on delivering sustainable solutions as part of the remodel. Using a pragmatic approach to maximise the wards energy use, we implemented localised efficient end systems and enhanced user control allowing the Trust to operate the building in most efficient manner.
Working as one cohesive team during the Covid19 pandemic and within a live hospital environment, we carefully considered NHS Trust pressures during design and construction, particularly with live theatre spaces on floor below and maternity wards above. We held service user engagement on MS Teams and worked quickly to respond to rapidly changing NHS requirements midway through construction including air changes, staff changing rooms and additional handwashing facilities.
Alongside this, the team faced pressures from external factors including material scarcity, local authority resourcing issues and managing the health and wellbeing of everyone involved in the project. We worked closely with the Trust to develop solutions and mitigating strategies, delivering a successful refurbishment that has transformed spaces for service users and staff providing a new, positive sensory environment.
