Mental health nurses and patients head bids to improve wards

December 21, 2005
by staff reporter

Mental health nurse and patient teams are to head projects aimed at improving the physical appearance of mental health and learning disability units.

This month £1.2m was granted by the government for teams of mental health nurses and patients to lead bids to spruce up their mental health unit corridors, waiting areas and wards, and to construct gardens and "quiet spaces".

The refurbishment funds have been allocated to service providers from 23 strategic health authorities outside London.

Such a refurbishment scheme has been ongoing in mental health and learning disability units in London since 2001.

The King’s Fund, a charitable foundation which trains patients and nurses on improving the physical appearance of units, claims a better environment leads to faster "recuperation" rates for patients, reductions in vandalism and improvements in staff recruitment and retention rates.

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