Katie Simpson, the Service Manager at The Children & Young People’s Mental Health Services, submitted a bid to improve the facilities at the Children Centre in St David’s Hospital to comply with the Covid-19 guidance for public and work spaces. It would also provide staff, visitors and patients with a more vibrant and comfortable environment.
The Children, Young People & Family Health Services support children and young people from birth to the age of 18, providing integrated care services to children with disabilities, developmental and behavioural difficulties, as well as emotional wellbeing and mental health concerns. The staff at the Children Centre are a team of highly skilled professionals who are dedicated to continuously deliver high quality care to their patients, and want to ensure that the experience of coming into the centre is as safe and positive as possible.
Katie Simpson said: ‘Based on pre-Covid service delivery, we would expect approximately 1000 children and young people per month to benefit from the improved facilities. In line with social distancing, this number will be reduced to approximately 25% capacity until it is safe to resume services fully.’
‘We would like to have a fit for purpose facility to enable us to provide the best possible and safest care and experience for all children and young people accessing our diverse range of services at the children’s centre.’
The bid was approved, and the furniture and building improvements have been installed at the Children Centre ensuring that a comfortable and safe environment is provided to the patients, visitors and staff of the Children Centre in St David’s Hospital. The furnishings maintain the calming and positive look of the Children’s Centre whilst ensuring that the space complies with the official Covid-19 regulations.
The improvements also allow for the face to face patient activity to be increased, whilst maintaining social distancing, meaning that the quality of service delivered by the dedicated healthcare workers isn’t compromised by the current Covid-19 guidelines.
The staff working at The Children, Young People & Family Health Services have said: ‘The chairs and sofas are large, very comfortable and the bright colours compliment the area and make it feel more fitting for a children’s centre. They also make the area look more modern and also improve Infection Prevention and Control as they are wipe-able. These along with our new floor make the centre look like a completely different place.’
Lindsay Lowe, the Care Group Administrative/Operational Manager said: ‘The furniture and flooring are a welcome addition, and the Children’s centre is now looking like a much more friendly environment’.