Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Patients’ Panel member, Carol Neale, who has given valuable input into the design of a new outpatients’ area being built at Blackpool Victoria Hospital
Patients at Blackpool Victoria Hospital have been instrumental in the development of a new outpatients area.
In a unique partnership, members of Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s patients’ panel have been involved in the new £405,000 building from its initial concept to its final design and members this week took the chance to have a look at the latest stage of the development which is set to be completed in September.
Eleanor Walsh, Patient Involvement Manager at the Trust: “This is the first time that patients have been involved all the way through a major new building development and it has been a great experience.
“The group have been able to have their say all the way along and came up with some excellent ideas such as how high desks should be, how many wheelchair spaces should be allocated in the clinics, and highlighted the need to have a check in desk at the central main entrance so those with limited mobility would not have to worry about rushing to get to the other side of the hospital to check in for their appointment.
“These ideas, along with a number of others, have been listened to and introduced which is fantastic and demonstrates how we work with patients as partners in the redesign of services.’’
One of the panel members, Carol Neale, said: “I think it is a great idea to involve patients this way.
A view of the new outpatients area at Blackpool Victoria Hospital
“At the end of the day we are the end users and it just makes sense for us to give the patients’ view of things and it has been an excellent experience.
“We have made quite a few suggestions which the Trust has taken on board and I think this is something that should happen with every major development.”