NHS patients in Leeds are helping to design two new hospital buildings at Leeds General Infirmary.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust are developing a new adult's hospital, maternity centre, as well as a new home for Leeds Children's Hospital in one building on the Leeds General Infirmary site.
And the best part is patients are helping to develop the new spaces. They will get first-hand experiences as part of engagement sessions with the architects who are developing the new facilities.
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Architects Perkins and Will are designing the new hospitals and are engaging with patients, patient groups, staff and clinicians to help inform their plans.
Retired nurse Edwina Gerry from Cookridge, Leeds said: "It was interesting to hear from the design team and to appreciate the desire to make these clinical spaces so much more acceptable. It will help those future patients who will be the same as we have always been - worried, fearful and craving friendly support and reassurance."
"Having spent many hours in Bexley Wing at St James’s Hospital its atrium is a most pleasing space with interesting art work, mixed seating, a cafe with a terrace and some greenery."
Another patient, Anne Claire Winfield from Cookridge, Leeds, has been using the hospital for 30 years since being an in-patient at Leeds Children’s Hospital from the age of 10.
As a wheelchair user, Anne said she noted an ease of access in the design in linking current departments in Leeds General Infirmary with the new hospitals.
She said: "It’s very important to make the hospital buildings wheelchair accessible and the signs in the actual buildings and departments are available at a suitable height for wheelchair users."
Philip Elphick, 64, from north Leeds, said he wanted to see the new hospitals designed to be autistic-friendly after being diagnosed with the condition a few years ago. He had: "It would be good to have quick, well-signposted routes to give stress-free access to departments and to have quiet areas with dimmable lights where an autistic person could wait or de-stress if needed.
"I know from my own experience being autistic how important this will be and is a design opportunity not to be missed. I also think it is important for the new hospital to be fully accessible by blind and visually impaired people without the need to involve sighted guides as is currently the case."
Architects Perkins&Will are capturing feedback from the engagement sessions and will consider them as they move forward with their design. Mark Rowe, Managing Principal at Perkins&Will, said the engagement was giving his team a real insight into the needs of patients.
“We are designing buildings with and for patients, staff and clinicians, so it is important that they have input at this stage as we begin progressing the concepts of these exciting new hospitals," he said.
What do you think plans for the new-look Leeds General Infirmary should include? Comment below.
