A new, 73-bed specialist inpatient service unit (SISU) for mental health treatment at Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, designed by Arcadis IBI, has received planning approval.
Arcadis IBI Group was appointed by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to provide architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture services for the new unit, which will
centralising existing services throughout the region to provide optimised healthcare from one location. It will treat adults and older people with mental health and learning disabilities in a low-security setting that centres on patient care and recovery.
The design concept ‘emphasises patient wellbeing and the process of reintroduction into the community as recovery progresses’, with the mostly single-storey building organised around ‘rings of recovery’ that reflect the clinical journey. The architects say that ‘the therapeutic journey is reinforced by the division of the space into wards catering to the specific recovery needs of service-users’. Shared office facilities and breakout spaces help dissolve department barriers and promote collaboration between staff members.
Each ward provides access to therapeutic outdoor areas, such as a courtyard or recreational green space, while the site itself is located next to a mature line of trees that envelop the building and create a calming atmosphere for patients and staff alike. Environmental health is also prioritised, with the project designed and created in partnership with Kier Construction, AECOM, DSSR Consulting Engineers, Curtins, and The Urbanists, to garner a BREEAM Excellent rating.
Arcadis IBI Group’s design will also qualify it as a Net Zero Carbon building, meeting the targets in NHS Wales Decarbonisation Strategic Delivery Plan.