Work starts on transforming Worcestershire’s mental health provision
A multi-million-pound investment has begun in Worcestershire to transform mental health provision for patients.
The ‘Elimination of Dormitories’ project is a £400 million, UK-wide scheme to improve facilities for mental health patients by removing shared sleeping quarters.
The project will provide patients at the Elgar Unit in Worcester with their own private, en-suite bedroom during their stay, and is expected to improve the safety, privacy and dignity of patients experiencing mental ill health.
It is also anticipated that the new facilities will improve benefits for patient safety including better infection control and reduce risk of incidents involving other patients.
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, who manage the county’s mental health services, have appointed building contractor Speller Metcalfe to undertake the £11 million scheme.
Dr John Devapriam, Medical Director at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust said: “We are committed to providing the best facilities for our patients, to support them to reach their recovery goals. Replacing the existing dormitories in our mental health units for private en-suite bedrooms will improve the therapeutic environment for our patients, enabling personalised care, and supporting their right to privacy and dignity while they are with us.”
The project itself involves the demolition and reconstruction of two, single-storey wards, Holt and Athelon, which form part of the existing Elgar Unit, to create a total of 30 new en-suite rooms, including the provision of accessible accommodation on each ward.
Each ward will also have access to a newly refurbished courtyard area, as well as living and kitchen areas for patients.
“Providing appropriate health services for patients is absolutely paramount to the NHS being able to continue with their unparalleled level of care and professional service,” said Mark Hudgeon, regional director at Speller Metcalfe. “We are absolutely committed to enabling them to continue in the same vein, knowing that these improvements will have a lasting legacy for both staff and patients who need access to these services.”
The project is due to complete in the latter part of 2023 and is being built to the BREEAM Very Good standard, a recognised sustainable accreditation that demonstrates the Trust’s commitment to delivery of environmental best practice.
Photo L-R:
- Jack Brooker, Senior Site Manager, Speller Metcalfe
- Louise Seeney, Deputy Associate Director Specialist Mental Health and Learning Disability Services
- Dr John Devapriam, Medical Director
- Emma Webber, Associate Director of Specialist Mental Health and Learning Disability Services
- Naomi Morgan, Acute Lead – Mental Health Inpatients
- Cory Hone, Site Manager, Speller Metcalfe
- Mark Hudgeon, Regional Director, Speller Metcalfe