Staff and patients have benefitted from the opening of two outdoor spaces on the Fairfield General site.
The first is a Staff Wellbeing Garden outside the A&E department where staff can enjoy some well-earned time out. The area was the idea of Charge Nurse Luke Hulton. He said: “Before the garden was created, staff would go out to the main entrance or sit in their cars during breaks if they needed some time away from the clinical environment.
“The garden utilises space that was unused and inaccessible before the project started, and is now somewhere safe for colleagues to take a deep breath and step out of the department, where it can be hot, stressful and fast-paced.”
The new space was made possible using funding from the Trust, the official charity of the Trust, NorthCare, and staff fundraising.
A second, separate garden has also re-opened next to the stroke ward. The area has been spruced up with a new door, allowing easier access to the courtyard. New plants have also been planted.
As part of planned therapy led sessions, patients on Fairfield’s stroke rehabilitation wards will be able to visit the garden and participate in helping to make it bloom.
Stroke Team Lead Occupational Therapist Kirsty Highwood said: “We are so pleased to get this lovely little area back open and available to patients and staff. The garden is an extremely important place to bring our patients as part of their rehabilitation. Staff really enjoy being able to work with patients in a different setting to the ward. We know everyone loves the fresh air and the satisfaction of growing new plants and flowers.”