AUTISM FACILITIES
Key project facts
l Client: Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
l Completion: 2023 l Value: £7 m l Environmental rating: Targeted BREEAM ‘Excellent’
Project partners l Business case and project management office: Archus.
l Architect: Design Buro. l Contractor: Willmott Dixon. l MEP engineers: CPW. l Structural engineers: Couch.
The facility’s opening, in summer 2023. There is a single, secure point of access
controlled from a manned reception desk, and the reception and waiting areas are separated from the rest of the unit by an airlock. Gardens to each patient flat are secured by individual fences with an anti- climb perimeter fence, anti-ligature fittings are provided to all areas regarded as high-risk – such as bedrooms and sanitary areas, and clear lines of sight allow staff to discreetly observe patient activity. A dedicated seclusion suite provides a private bedroom and en-suite, with the addition of an adjoining observation area and access to outdoor space.
Net Zero ambitions In line with Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust’s ambitions to reach Net Zero carbon on all direct activity by 2040, sustainability was also a key element of the design, and the building is targeted to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification. Led by a fabric-first approach, the new-build was designed to be as efficient as possible to reduce energy consumption, with good U-values and airtightness, and reduced thermal bridging. The building is heated by high efficiency air source heat pumps, following the Trust’s commitment to no longer install gas-fuelled systems. PV panels on the roof contribute to a reduced
carbon footprint, providing a renewable energy source. A window design was selected in order to optimise daylight but control solar gain and glare, reducing lighting consumption. This was furthered by the use of ‘intelligent controls’ with absence and presence detection. Externally, the majority of neighbouring buildings were designed to provide low or medium secure environments and, as such, design constraints relating to positions of fencing and boundaries were carefully considered during design. In addition, positioning of the building and associated fenced garden areas was planned specifically to ensure there would be no impediment to future development at the site.
Impact The Onyx Unit is one of the first purpose-built autism-friendly secure inpatient facilities in the West Midlands, filling the gap in provision for a group of patients who previously had no custom-built facility available to them locally. The specialised, local service now provides skilled treatment, and supports improved joint working with partners, which better prepares autistic people in taking steps towards well-supported community living and the achievement of rewarding and fulfilling lives.
James Johnson
James Johnson, Consultant at Archus, is an APM PMO-qualified project manager for the healthcare infrastructure specialist, where he works to support NHS clients through the delivery of both programme and project management and sustainability consultancy services. Based in the Archus Birmingham office, he has experience in supporting schemes across the full project lifecycle, working across the mental health, primary care, and acute/secondary care estates.
40 Helen Whinray
Helen Whinray, Director at The Design Buro (Coventry), specialises in healthcare design, and has worked with NHS Trusts for 20 years to help them build their vision, enjoying the challenge of schemes which place a strong emphasis on design and innovation. With a close involvement in projects at all stages, she strives to ensure good quality in all aspects – from overall design to final detail, successfully developing projects from initial strategic stages to realisation in partnership with the client, ‘matching expectations, and ensuring a quality solution which is user-led and accessible to all’.
FEBRUARY 2024 | THE NETWORK Professor Ashok Roy OBE, Consultant
psychiatrist and Associate medical director at CWPT, said: “The lack of high-quality community services often means that autistic people can spend long periods in hospital, even after the completion of treatment. The Trust is proud to add a key service to the autism pathway, and strengthen its service offer to realise the ambition of the national autism strategy.” Mel Coombes MBE, Chief Executive
at CWPT, added: “Onyx Ward represents our commitment to the provision of high-quality, purpose-built spaces for our patients to thrive. The unit has been specifically designed with our service- users in mind, and offers person-centred accommodation for autistic patients with sensory processing difficulties. We are rightly very proud to be operating such an excellent facility for our patients.” n
References 1 NHS England. Safe and wellbeing reviews: Thematic review and lessons learned.
http://tinyurl.com/dxdcymsn 21 February 2023
2 National Autistic Society. Number of autistic people in mental health hospitals: September 2023 data. 24 October 2023.
http://tinyurl.com/ s346w5mt
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