Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

The charity was approached by the CAMHS team who were looking to improve the environment for their service users and staff. The brief was to create a more welcoming and supportive environment that would work for all – their service users ranged in age from toddler to teenager.

The Bright charity placed the children and young people at the heart of the design process, knowing good design makes a huge difference – demonstrably improving clinical outcomes. The environment must also provide a supportive space – not a “nice to have” or an optional extra but is vital to the well-being of everyone who works in or uses the service.

One of the biggest challenges to overcome was the building ownership, it’s not owned by the trust, so any refurbishment needed to be agreed with NHS Property Services. They were very supportive of the project, advising that any changes made needed to be temporary in case the building ever needed to be returned to its original condition.

After a period of consultation with all those involved, the final design for the reception and the main waiting room was produced. The walls were to be covered with wall art vinyl which would include uplifting quotes and QR codes to support websites, new seating, and a digital aquarium.

The charity is hoping to continue working with the team to extend this design into other areas that the service uses.

In addition to this work the charity funded the refurbishment of the staffroom that supports over 70 staff working out of Albion Road. The staff provide an essential service to their patients and need a space to relax and refresh. Hopefully this will have a positive impact on their well-being. 

The funding for this project was raised by the NTGH NVS shop and a donation by the Calendar Lads fundraisers.