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Compton Hospice in Wolverhampton is receiving a new layout, patient hoist system and full redecoration, after successfully securing £¼ million funding from the Department of Health earlier this year.

The transformation is set to take four weeks to complete, from Monday, August 6 2007.

'No disruption to care provision'

Director of nursing at Compton, Katrina Poulson, said: “We are effectively renting eight beds at Nuffield, so all patient care will still be managed by hospice staff, just at a different location.

“We have put a lot of planning into working around the refurbishment and St. John’s Ambulance has been wonderful in helping us make arrangements for the transfer.  We’re confident that everything is in place to make the whole operation run smoothly.

“We want to assure anyone who accesses our services that, other than our day unit having to close for the four week period, there will be no other disruption to the care provision.  Admission and discharge procedures remain the same and our multi-disciplinary team including our doctors, community nurses, social workers, physio and complementary therapists will be on hand as usual.

“Visitors will also be welcome at Nuffield the same as they are at the hospice.”

'A sense of hope and inspiration'

The changes are aimed at creating an enriching environment, promoting privacy, dignity, independence and choice for patients and visitors at the hospice.

Sue Hope, director of Hope Studios and manager of the renovation project said: “Surroundings can make a huge difference to a person’s feeling of wellbeing and we want to create an environment that instills a sense of hope and inspiration as well as being inviting and comfortable.

“We are re-arranging the layout of communal rooms to create more intimate spaces for families to spend time together and are working together with local artist, Rebecca Cresswell, who has researched the benefits of art in health care and worked with SANDS, New Cross and other NHS hospitals, to introduce more colour and interest into the rooms.

“I’ve been working on glass art projects with patients, staff and volunteers, and their work will be incorporated into the design, making it more personal and meaningful, as well as being visually stimulating.

“I’m looking forward to watching it all come together, and seeing the responses to the finished project.”

Hard work and planning

Landscaping work is also set to start in August, to make more of the outside space that is largely inaccessible to patients at the moment.

Plans include sensory gardens, outdoor therapy areas and wheelchair accessible woodland walks. 

Tracy Marsh, head of fundraising and communications at the hospice, added: “We have more than 22,000 patients and visitors each year who will benefit from these changes, so it will have a major impact on a lot of lives.

“It’s taken such a lot of preparation, both staff and patients are really excited to see all the hard work and planning come to fruition.”

Patients who have any concerns about service provision during the refurbishment period can contact Katrina Poulson on 0845 225 5497.