New reflective space for patients at the Scarisbrick Unit

The Scarisbrick inpatient mental health unit in Ormskirk officially opened its newly developed reflective space for patients at an event with representatives from charitable organisations and healthcare professionals.

Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust’s inpatient mental health unit in Ormskirk officially opened ‘The Green Room’ which will provide a space for patients to relax, wind down, have a chat or use as a religious or spiritual environment. The Green Room was officially opened on Tuesday 26 September and will be accessed by the unit’s patients as part of their recovery as well as members of staff.

The initiative for The Green Room was developed by members of staff from the Occupational Therapy service who recognised that patients are not always well enough to access the existing faith facilities within the community which would be a preferred option. The unit received a number of kind donations including a television, furniture, spiritual artwork and books provided by Ormskirk Hospital League of Friends, service users, families and faith organisations across Lancashire.

Kate Halsall, Lead Occupational Therapist for Ormskirk Inpatients at Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust:

“A big part of our jobs is to look at people’s needs that go beyond taking medication. This involves working collaboratively with patients, listening to their wants and needs and doing our best to meet them. This project was to ensure that we are meeting the needs of all of our patients. Having a facility for patients to reflect or take part in therapeutic activities helps patients to improve the function of their lives and gives them a sense of who they are. It also helps staff here to understand the patient better and understand how they are feeling or how they work.

“We would like to say a big thank Rydon – who kindly offered to paint the walls free of charge, The League of Friends and our service users for their kind donations. We are so pleased to be able to provide this quiet and calm area for our patients to access prayer books or items, watch calming scenes on the television or just to enjoy some relaxing time out!”

Pete Hill, Support Worker in the Occupational Therapy Team at Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust said:

“One of the first things we say to a patient when they arrive here at the Scarisbrick Unit is, “tell me how I can help you?” As part of this conversation, we often look in to a person’s needs around faith and spirituality as factors in aiding someone to recover is often helping people to recover their spiritual needs.

“I often ask people what keeps them going and what makes them feel connected? Whether this is going for a walk around the hospital, feeding the ducks, watching a football game or visiting an art gallery, we always try to make these things happen for people. However, in some cases or at that particular stage in their recovery it is not always possible to get a patient out in to the community. That is when we started to think about the things we could do that would make a difference here at the unit.

“When we came up with the idea of a reflective space for our patients, I began spending a lot of time on the road going to see faith leaders and forming those community partnerships we needed to make it happen. The project has been very much a team effort and thanks to all of the kind donations we have received, we are now able to provide this fantastic space for our patients, an appropriate venue for pastoral care given by faith leaders who visit the unit. This space will also be offered to staff on the ward as a resource for prayer or time out.

“Everything we do is patient centred and whatever the circumstances we always aim to do the best we can for those in our care. I feel extremely proud of this achievement and look forward to the next project here at the Scarisbrick unit.”

The Scarisbrick Inpatient Unit (SIPU) is a 21 bedded unit based within the premises of Ormskirk District General Hospital. The unit provides care and treatment for adult service users who are showing signs and symptoms of acute functional mental illness. Service users are from the population of Lancashire and surrounding areas. For more information about the Scarisbrick Unit please visit www.lancashirecare.nhs.uk/ormskirk-district-general-hospital-scarisbrick-unit.