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Millford House: Acute Unit

St Georges Hospital, Stafford

Sector: Healthcare

Patient Lounge

The Patient Lounge Viewed from the Secure Garden.

Contact the Unit
If you wish to contact the hospital please call 0300 790 7000.
We are the Architects who designed the Unit, this page and the contact number on the top right relate to the design of the building and are not the telephone number for the ward.

Background
Facilities for Patients with Psychiatric Intensive Care needs were in 2008 outsourced to hospitals outside the County, not only putting financial pressure on the Trust, but making it difficult for Patients to benefit from the support of relatives. The Trust applied for funding to build a new two phase step up step down facility.

The initial design stages of this project were begun whilst the Director was working for Hulme Upright. the Trust appointed bpArchitecture in 2011 to continue as Architect and manage the works from Stage 5 to Stage 8.

Ethos
The Trust were faced with transporting Patients to facilities out of County and a decision was made to construct two new wards designed around the existing Michael Flannagan Building, to provide a step up step down facility. The Micheal Flannagan building was a former Isolation Hospital which was disused and in a poor state of repair, the Trust had not been able to find a new use for the building as its layout and rooms did not lend itself to modern day hospital provision. The building was also refurbished as part of the two Phase development. This was the first 'new' Mental Health facility in Staffordshire.

Facilities
Phase 1 involved the construction of a 12 en-suite bedroom unit in the grounds of the former Isolation Ward, providing activity rooms on two floors of the MF building.

Phase two - this unit involved the construction of another 12 en suite bedroom unit mirroring the ward layout of the phase one ward, but utilising one floor of the Michael Flannagan building and finished to suit the unique needs of end users.

The unit also provides: Staff Base, Office, Patient Lounge, Quiet Lounge, ADL Kitchen, Art Room, Treatment Room, Ward Pantry and a Laundry. Outdoor activities are provided in a secure garden to the rear, with secure decking area and secure landscaped courtyard.

Patients undergo a full programme of Life Skills to prepare them for life in the outside world. The unit is constructed to robust standards, which included carrying out crash tests to glazing, as the design involved internal glazed screens to provide Staff with good vision of End Users whilst not intruding on their privacy. Because of the nature of End Users staying in the unit, standards are severe.

Policy
In addition to providing good aesthetics and modern high quality accomodation, it was necessary to adhere to NHS standards of privacy, dignity and infection control; as well as the needs of End Users with Learning Disabilities.

Sustainability
The single storey communal space block is finished with a sedum roof to provide some viausl relief and space separation when seen from above. This also provides additional thermal benefits to the space below.

External Works
Landscaped beds and ramped access were incorporated to the front of the building including fret cut signage in the entrance balustrading.

A central secure landscaped courtyard was incprporated to provide a quiet sitting out space, and outlook from some of the bedrooms.

A rear secure garden was incorporated which has a decking area to sit out, lawned area, greenhouse and shed and raised planting beds to allow horticultural growing and learning experinces for the end users.

Green Roof over the Patient Day Areas.

Social Value
The new ward allowed some on site patients to me moved to the new ward, and patients cared for in other facilities outside Staffordshire to be moved to the new unit and cared for closer to home. This allows family to visit on a more regular basis.

Links can be maintained for End Users with the local area.

End Users are involved with Arts projects, Training to provide them with the ability to be independant once they leave the unit.

Status: Completed October 2010
Value: £2.5m
Type: New Build
Contract: Full service Traditional Contract RIBA Stages 1 - 7.
Client: South Staffs & Shropshire NHS Trust
Architect & CA: bpArchitecture
Quantity Surveyor: Summers Inman
Structural Engineer: ABA Consulting Engineers
M&E Consultant: Building Services Management (BSM)
Principal Designer: Summers Inman
Contractor: Wygar Construction