FEATURE ARTICLES
Part of the ‘toolkit’ to help young people recover
James Christian, an architect and director, and Creative strategist and director, Megan Charnley, report on the practice’s design of the interior of the CAMHS unit at Edinburgh’s new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.
Listening to service-users is imperative with design
The Design in Mental Health Network has always recognised the value of hearing from serviceusers on their experiences in a variety of mental healthcare settings – something reflected in a number of presentations at last August’s DiMH 2021 conference
A focus on widening engagement planned
The Design in Mental Health Network’s 2021 AGM, held ‘virtually’ on 3 November, saw reports presented by Chair, Philip Ross, and Treasurer, Phil Barsby, as well as the leads of the DiMHN’s various Workstreams
Stakeholder engagement is a major part in design
Mark Carter, Partner, and Victor Muniz, Architectural director at the firm, explain the planned consolidation of the new facility, and their approach to 21st-century mental health design.
A sense of community at new Northgate Hospital
In November last year, construction started on the £60 m redevelopment of the medium secure service provision at Northgate Hospital in Morpeth, Northumberland.
‘Borders and boundaries’ matter to service-users
A new Design in Mental Health Network guide to designing ‘with borders and boundaries in mind’ was unveiled on the first day of August’s DiMH 2021 conference at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
A chance to recognise and celebrate excellence
August’s Design in Mental Health 2021 conference and exhibition in Coventry saw the presentation of ten DiMH 2021 awards recognising outstanding achievement, creativity, and innovation.
How modern inpatient settings can improve
Speaking at the DiMH 2021 conference, Jane Ray, head of Hospital Inspections at the CQC, gave an insight into the CQC’s role in the mental health arena, and a service-user described her difficult experience as a as an inpatient
Fire detection challenges in secure environments
Within a mental health facility, designing or upgrading system infrastructure is a challenge – fire alarms systems being no exception
Covering all the bases for safe and compliant doors
Julian Hall, Sales director at Kingsway Group, describes the company’s ‘five-step approach’ to door safety, developed with the benefit and experience of many hundreds of successful installations in mental healthcare facilities.
Origins in academic and healthcare collaboration
Joe Forster, recalls the DIMHN’s earliest days, and explains how its origins lie in shifts in thinking early in the new Millennium about the sort of environments that were needed to provide effective 21st-century mental healthcare.
Repurposing heritage buildings for recovery
Dr Christina Malathouni, and Haziq Khairi, University who has been working with her on research into mental health facilities UK-wide, consider Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust’s ‘unique approach’ to its contemporary mental health facilities.
Highlights and challenges in an eventful 15 years
Last November’s ‘virtual’ Design in Mental Health Network 2020 AGM saw Jenny Gill, among the organisation’s longest-standing members, and the Network’s Chair since 2013, step down from both the role and the DiMHN Board.
Powerful precedent for historic NHS site
How a fascinating historical site, and a close working relationship between Kajima, Sir Robert McAlpine, and a Mental Health NHS Trust, has helped unlock the estate modernisation of the Springfield University Hospital in Wandsworth.
Taking some guess work out of product selection
The Design in Mental Health Network and multidisciplinary building science centre, BRE have jointly developed a guide to testing a broad spectrum of products used in mental healthcare facilities to ensure fitness for purpose.
Collaborative research delivers valuable insights
Freelance writer, Debbie Giggle, talks to Antonio Lourenco, Global Product manager at Altro, about what the flooring and wall cladding specialist dubs ‘an innovative collaborative research project to assist safety and wellbeing in acute mental health wards through better design of buildings, components, fixtures, and fittings’.
Safety and security in a therapeutic setting
Design engineers, Safehinge Primera, are passionate about working alongside mental healthcare providers to develop products that create safe spaces for recovery.
Combating isolation, keeping independence
Peter Moran, Director at Todd Architects, considers how using light, colour, and scale, can promote independence and wellbeing for residents in dementia-friendly housing, in turn helping to combat isolation and minimise stress.
Reducing the indignity of physical restraint
Pineapple Contracts has recently unveiled two pieces of furniture designed to make physical intervention practices in the mental healthcare sector safer and more dignified for patients, as well as staff. Daniel White, the company’s head of Sales, explains how the products were developed, and the rationale behind them.
Drawing on experience to help and guide others
In the January 2020 The Network, Katharine Lazenby, who spent more time in her 20s in mental healthcare facilities than at home, but is now on the road to recovery, discussed with editor, Jonathan Baillie, some of her at times challenging and difficult experiences as an inpatient service-user.
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