Supporting patients is at the core of our work, providing funding for specialist services and additional comforts that complement existing NHS-funded services.
The problem:
Attending hospital can be a frightening experience for children, particularly if they are feeling really poorly. They are divorced from their daily routines and separated from their families and friends, with only a parent, carer or guardian there to care for them and keep them calm.
Parents or carers can also feel anxious, however brave a face they portray outwardly. The emergency department has low ceilings and no external windows and can feel a bit oppressive. The staff work hard to make the environment as friendly as possible, with murals, toys and music specifically tailored to children’s tastes and interests. But at the end of the day, they are restricted by the location and layout of the unit.
The solution:
So this year we were delighted to fund new LED light panels which help to transform previously poorly lit rooms, providing an alternative for the dull white ceilings our young patients had to stare up at. By simulating daylight, the LED panels with their realistic high-resolution pictures, children can now feel that they’re being treated under a blue sky.
The colour temperature of the light matches daylight and gives the appearance of actually looking outside through a real window. Patients, families and staff all experience the positive effects of daylight even though they are inside. Children are more relaxed, staff are more energised and the unit has a real wow-factor focus.
- If you are interested in making a difference by supporting projects like this, please visit our donation page. Thank you.