CHESTERFIELD — The Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is preparing to open the first of six new or refurbished mental healthcare facilities in Derbyshire within the coming weeks. The Bluebell ward at Walton Hospital in Chesterfield, which has undergone a £2.8 million refurbishment, is set to open in September as part of the trust’s £150 million “Making Room for Dignity” programme.
While the revamped Bluebell ward will soon welcome patients, the trust has acknowledged significant “challenges and delays” affecting other parts of the project. Factors such as inclement weather, inflation in construction costs, and rising energy prices have contributed to increased expenses and necessary schedule adjustments. The trust noted that geopolitical events, including the war in Ukraine, have impacted the supply of raw materials like steel, further complicating the timeline.
Originally slated for completion by the end of 2024, the entire programme is now expected to be finished by April 2026. The initiative includes three new buildings and three refurbishment projects aimed at improving mental healthcare facilities across Chesterfield and Derby.
The “Making Room for Dignity” programme aims to eliminate dormitory-style accommodation for inpatient care, replacing it with more private and secure facilities. The first facility to open, Bluebell ward, will offer mental healthcare services to 12 older adults in an environment designed to enhance comfort and privacy. Each room features en-suite bathrooms, and patients will have access to calming breakout spaces, creating a more welcoming atmosphere akin to a hotel.
Additionally, an occupational therapy garden at Bluebell ward, developed with the assistance of Chesterfield College students, is part of the new facility’s offerings. The trust has emphasized the programme’s goal to address the lack of psychiatric intensive care units (PICU) in Derbyshire, which currently forces patients to be placed “out of area”—often far from their homes.
The remaining facilities in the programme include the Derwent unit at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, the Carsington unit and Kingfisher House at Kingsway Hospital in Derby, the Radbourne unit at Royal Derby Hospital, and Audrey House at Kingsway, Derby.
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