NNUH ward refurbishment programme shortlisted for national award

A ward refurbishment programme at the Norfolk and Norwich University (NNUH) has been shortlisted for a national award by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) in their Healthcare Partnership Awards. The programme, which was carried out by Serco, has been introducing a range of new features on hospital wards to enhance patient care at the hospital.

The Healthcare Partnership Awards look to identify and celebrate the best products and services being used by the NHS, putting the spotlight on suppliers which are leaders and innovators in healthcare.

The refurbishment of the eight wards – which are home to nearly 300 beds – has been carried out by Serco over the past six months on behalf of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Trust and building owner Octagon Healthcare.

The programme incorporated a range of innovative new features designed to help the hospital’s clinical teams to deliver the highest standards of patient care, while providing patients with a more modern, attractive and comfortable environment. To avoid disruption for patients and staff, the wards were refurbished on one-by-one basis, with each transformation being delivered within a stretching timescale of just five weeks.

Features introduced as part of the refurbishment included:

• A state-of-the-art digital IP nurse call system with handsets or call assistance in every room throughout the patient areas, allowing calls to be monitored centrally and helping clinical staff to respond as quickly as possible to patient needs.
• Installation of energy efficient LED lighting and controls linked to a range of sensors ensuring the optimum balance of artificial and natural light. This will enable the Trust to save around £3,000 per year on energy costs for each ward.
• Completely new bathrooms and wash basins designed ensure the highest standards of safety, comfort and dignity for patients.
• New partition doors and fittings coated with antimicrobial materials to support infection control.
• New paintwork giving the wards an attractive, calm and modern feel. The design was developed with the Trust’s specialist nursing care leads to provide a relaxing environment for recovery and aid navigation for patients with specialist needs such as dementia.

Abi Tierney, Serco Contract Director, said: “The refurbishment programme was a very rewarding project which patients, families and staff have told us has made a huge difference to their experience of being in hospital. Our expert team thought incredibly carefully about every small detail in the design, so that we can give patients the best environment to support their recovery, and help the Trust’s clinical staff to provide the highest standards of care. It is great to see the team’s hard work recognised and we are very proud to have been shortlisted for this national award.”

Richard Parker, NNUH Chief Operating Officer said: “To be recognised for a national award is a fantastic achievement for the teams involved in the ward refurbishment programme. I would like to congratulate and thank Serco and all the teams involved at the Trust in the refurbishment; a project which is already proving massively beneficial for our patients, their families and our NNUH staff.”