The
NHS in London is trying to shed the dreary image of grey hospital corridors in
an attempt to create a better working environment for staff.
Using
a grant from the King’s Fund’s ‘Enhancing the Healing Environment’ programme,
nurses and other staff in London’s hospitals have been using colour, light and
design to brighten up their surroundings.
Staff
at the Mayday University Hospital have turned a dilapidated courtyard into a
Roman style garden, while at Central Middlesex Hospital an exhibition of
photographs of staff and patients reflects the diversity of the community the
hospital serves.
The
programme has been so successful that it is now being rolled out to 23 other
Trusts across the country – one from each strategic health authority.
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Health
minister, Lord Warner said: "Our surroundings effect us – for better or
for worse. These projects show the marvellous changes that staff in our
hospitals can make when given the power and support to shape their
surroundings."