We are thrilled to announce that our project at Eileen Skellern 1, a psychiatric intensive care unit for women at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, has been recognised on a national scale and won an award for Quality Improvement Project of the Year from The National Association of Psychiatric Intensive Care and Low Secure Units (NAPICU). This highly competitive category focuses on innovative practice in the care of patients in psychiatric intensive care units and quality improvements that ensure care is safe, effective, efficient and, crucially, patient-centred, maintaining focus on the patient as an individual.
Julian Opie, Four Pigeons, in the corridor at ES1
Nengi Omuku at work in the Family Room at ES1
Detail of a photograph by Harold Offeh, created for ES1
Detail of ES1’s Seating Area, by Aimee Mullins
Our project at Eileen Skellern 1 involved seven artists - Paresha Amin, Aimee Mullins, Harold Offeh, Nengi Omuku, Julian Opie, Tamsin Relly and Tim A Shaw - and took around 18 months to complete. The artists and Hospital Rooms worked in partnership with the patients and staff on ES1 PICU to improve the quality of care for patients and change the physical environment with innovative artworks produced exclusively for the unit. The award highlights how a physical environment on a ward can have a big impact on the quality of the patient experience and the effectiveness of the care they receive.
“It is easy to see the arts as a soft or alternative approach, but this award places a real value on the positive impact it can have in a clinical setting. Everyone involved worked tirelessly to come up with imaginative and physically safe artworks for Eileen Skellern 1 Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit for women and we are so proud of all we have all collectively achieved.”
Hospital Rooms’ founders Tim A Shaw and Niamh White celebrate winning NAPICU Quality Improvement project of the year with members of the team from Eileen Skellern 1, including consultant psychiatrist Dr Faisil Sethi, ward manager Onyeka Nwankwo, occupational therapist Rebecca Davies, and SPR Dr Sophie Butler.
“The ES1 team are so proud that all our hard work in our collaboration with Hospital Rooms has been recognised. As a team we really enjoyed working on the project and planning the transformation of the ward alongside the patients over a period of eighteen months. The addition of the art work has made such a huge difference to the physical environment and subsequently the therapeutic atmosphere on the ward and both staff and patients have benefitted greatly.”
“This project has enhanced the quality of care provided to our patients in the psychiatric intensive care unit. It is a privilege to be part of this team, and this award recognises what can be achieved through dedicated teamwork”
“It has positively transformed the physical environment on ES1 to be much more therapeutic for the patients. This award acknowledges the hard work and dedication of ES1 and Hospital Rooms teams in ensuring successful completion of the project despite the challenges faced due to the acuity of the ward.”
— Onyeka Nwankwo, ward manager on ES1
Harold Offeh’s work in the TV Room at ES1
Paresha Amin’s completed wall painting in ES1’s Interview Room
The Main Lounge at ES1, transformed by Tamsin Relly.
Our projects would not be possible without the generosity and support of Hospital Rooms’ friends and donors. With your help we can transform more NHS mental health care environments across the UK and give more people the opportunity to be touched and inspired by the unique and radical work that we do.
Your donations really do make a difference.