DESIGN IN MENTAL HEALTH 2023


the lack of them – and what works best to improve treatment outcomes and service- user experience, as well as reduce stay length.


Occupational therapist’s view Specialist occupational therapist, Aisling Butler, will discuss the work that went into the conversion of treatment space to better suit autistic service users in two pilot wards operated by the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, where all the senses were considered in making the space appropriate for the user group. Martha McSweeney from Galliford Try and Paul Ward from Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust will present on the effects of ward improvements from the angle of user and staff input on what could be done, and feedback from the same user groups following the project’s completion, on the differences that the improvement works had made on the working and living environment.


Workshops to encourage participation and interaction This year’s national DiMHN conference event will also, for the first time, feature a separate conference stream consisting of workshops designed to encourage participants to have input and interact with their peers, covering a range of topics. For instance, a new standard for inpatient environments will be covered in the workshop on ‘Designing buildings for truly person-centred care’, while making mental health support more accessible will be addressed in the workshop ‘Mental health on the high street’. Delegates will be able provide input into the design considerations for ‘autism-friendly’ wards for adult patients, and treatment spaces for young people – a service-user group between the ages of four and 18 with widely differing needs in terms of facility design and environment.


Standardised product testing Recognising the need for standardised product testing in the mental health built environment, the Design in Mental Health Network has been working for some years on an independent testing solution in partnership with BRE. Extensive research with the market, and estates and clinician consultation, have formed the backbone of this work, the result of which is Informed Choices – a new global testing standard which gives a graded performance measure for use in mental health environments, and which is being launched formally at the Conference. To encourage adoption of the new


standard, the Network will support education events, webinars, and discussion points so that clinicians, specifiers, and planners, can make Informed Choices. The first of these events is a workshop at Design in Mental Health 2023 on 7 June entitled ‘Informed Choices – transparency between built environment and clinical risk


THE NETWORK | MAY 2023


All the winners at the Design in Mental Health Awards 2022.


management’. At this workshop, Emma Shakespeare, Senior Design Manager at Sir Robert McAlpine, Claire Iverson, Suicide Prevention Lead at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, and Vicky Taylor, interior designer at Knightsbridge Furniture and associate of the Network, will discuss the balance between managing risk through built environment, product, clinical, and service design. The workshop will be an opportunity to share thoughts with peers on how to assess performance results and best practice using the new standard, and will be equally applicable to clinical teams, designers, manufacturers, and architects.


Awards will recognise excellence The Design in Mental Health Awards celebrate the best in the sector, and this year’s awards presentation will take place on 7 June, straight after the exhibition closes, and will also be an excellent networking opportunity. It is free to attend for anyone taking part in the exhibition and conference. In all this year, 11 awards will be presented, in categories including Project of the Year – New Build – International and UK, Outside Space of the Year, Project of the Year – Refurbishment, Estates & Facilities Team of the Year, Clinical Team of the Year, and Service-User Engagement.


Biggest exhibition to date This year’s exhibition will be the largest in the event’s 10-year history, having grown again this year to accommodate over 50 specialist suppliers, and is now a key destination for those involved in the design, construction, equipping, refurbishment, and management, of mental healthcare facilities. Some of the exhibiting companies (see


information from a number of exhibitors on pages 46-50) have participated every year since the event launched, in the process benefiting from feedback from visiting clinicians, estates and facilities personnel, service-users, and architects, which has helped them both to create innovative solutions to meet service-user needs, and to continuously develop their offerings over the last decade. Attending the exhibition is a key opportunity to meet with all these suppliers who specialise in the design and manufacture of products targeted at


mental healthcare facility use, and who possess an in-depth understanding of the unique needs and challenges of the sector. These experts can provide estates and facilities and clinical staff with valuable insights and guidance on how to design and equip mental healthcare facilities that are currently being designed, built, or refurbished.


See the latest products in action Exhibition visitors will have the opportunity to see the latest products and technologies in action, as suppliers often have equipment and samples on display, with live demonstrations taking place in the exhibition hall. All this provides the opportunity to see first-hand how technologies work, and how they can benefit service-user recovery and comfort, as well as allowing for in-person assessment of their safety, suitability, and style, to find the right fit for particular mental healthcare facility and patient needs. Visitors will find an array of products,


technologies, and services to see – ranging from furniture, doorsets, windows, and flooring, to modular buildings, sensory equipment, staff safety and security, HVAC, and washroom equipment, as well as being able to meet with consultants, architects, and construction personnel.


Interactive sensory room Among the exhibition highlights this year are an interactive sensory room from Creative Activity, and a case study poster display in the Networking area, which will provide great examples of new-build and refurbishment projects, technology, clinical practice, and other improvements in care provision in real-life mental healthcare settings. New exhibitors joining the 2023 line up include TYDE, Clarke’s Safety Mirrors, Johnson Controls, ONVO Modular, and Sircle. For NHS estates and facilities personnel, attending the Design in Mental Health exhibition is an essential part of staying up to date with the latest innovations for the mental healthcare sector, plus a great opportunity to network with peers and thought-leaders from the sector. Visitors can expect to leave with renewed energy and inspiration for tackling the challenges facing their organisation.


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