ED Consultant and Clinical Lead for the Foundations for our Future Programme at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Mark Davies (pictured), has been sharing how the new clinical building at Calderdale Royal Hospital (CRH), which has now gained full planning permission, will make a difference to the experience of colleagues, and how feedback has been used in the building design.
Tell us about how you have been involved in the design of the new clinical building?
My role as Clinical Lead is to make sure that the building design enables us to deliver what we set out in our initial design brief. In short we want to create a high-quality space that gives a caring, future proof environment for patients and colleagues that support delivery of high-quality clinical care.
A big part of my role has been the significant engagement with patients, colleagues and relevant stakeholders which is so important to make sure we meet the needs of the people we care for, and our colleagues.
I also liaise and co-ordinate the needs of different clinical teams, estates colleagues, infection prevention and control, and fire representatives to name a few, making sure that all their requirements are fed into the design.
As a clinician, what will the new hospital build mean for what you do on a day-to-day basis?
For colleagues, the building has been designed to maximise efficiency for those who work in it. We have done things such as looking at the colleague journey during the day so that we include features that will make a difference to our experience of delivering care. It may sound small but things such as improved storage close to the point of use, means we can reduce non-patient contact time and facilitate smoother working.
From a wellbeing perspective, the larger, brighter clinical spaces will be better for colleagues, and we have made sure there are lots of well-equipped rest facilities, and admin spaces throughout the building. Listening to colleagues through our engagement work was so important in us recognising and building in these ‘must do’ facilities.
What aspects of the design are you most excited about?
The sheer size of the different spaces is difficult to comprehend when compared to what most of us are working in now.
On a few occasions through the design period we have questioned whether specific rooms are big enough to meet their remit, or if a doorway is wide enough.
It has been fantastic to use the Immersive Suite to be able to demonstrate the space which will be available. Just one example that might be easy to think about is that our single bedrooms will be a third bigger than they are at the moment.
I think colleagues will be amazed at the space they will have to care for patient in.
What have people said about the idea of a new clinical building when you have been talking through the design plans?
It’s becoming real! After talking about it for years, seeing drawings and describing what will be in there is an increasing amount of excitement amongst colleagues.
It is great that we are able to answer colleague’s questions about the design. From reassurance that there will be a staff room on every ward, to questions about the ceiling hoists, it is great to be able to show how we have responded to feedback.
From when we started the design brief five years ago, it is reassuring to see that we have incorporated the needs of our teams wherever possible. We don’t have lots of space on site or an endless budget, but I am confident that we have maximised the potential, and have designed a facility that will significantly improve the working lives of our colleagues to enable them to provide better care to our patients.
Find out more:
You can read more about how we have used feedback from colleagues and patients in the design for our new clinical building on our website: New clinical building at Calderdale Royal Hospital - CHFT Future
