The new accommodation is housed in two wings that feature an innovative figure-of-eight layout enclosing a courtyard garden, which can be used by the patients throughout the year. Each of the linked wings incorporates 24 en-suite patient bedrooms and a range of ancillary accommodation and shared therapeutic spaces. The design eliminates ‘dead ends’ in the wards, which might be confusing to the patients as they move around the building. Seating has been provided at various points and wide corridors have been incorporated to maximise the impact of natural daylight.
The showcase development has been built as a part of NHS Derbyshire County’s commitment to improve mental health care. The mental health unit is a result of medical research, which shows that exposure to Nature can bring a number of psychological benefits for mental health patients.
Construction work on the scheme began in February 2009. Race Cottam Associates worked in partnership with Mansell Construction.
