A new  20-bed ward has been opened in a Hereford mental health unit, marking the completion of the eliminating dormitories programme across the county.

The opening is the latest in a series of projects led by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, which has engaged in several multi-million-pound projects focused on improving the safety, privacy and dignity of patients experiencing mental ill-health.

Over the past three years, all inpatient wards within the Stonebow Unit in Hereford have benefited from the ‘eliminating dormitories’ investment, a national programme to remove shared sleeping quarters from mental health units in England.

The funding has facilitated the design of purpose-built ensuite bedrooms, concentrating on the individual needs of their varying patient groups.

ALSO READ:

The wards have been meticulously designed with input from clinical experts, creating therapeutic environments that maximise patient and staff safety.

The new facilities are expected to support patient recovery while ensuring privacy and dignity, helping to reduce the overall length of stay in the hospital.

“Investing in our mental health portfolio helps to ensure that those requiring inpatient mental health treatment in Herefordshire and Worcestershire receive high-quality care, in purpose-built facilities as close to home as possible," said Dr John Devapriam, medical director and deputy chief executive for the trust.

"We are committed to ensuring our wards and inpatient areas continue to reflect the latest best practice and highest standards of safety, while providing patients with a range of therapeutic interventions and activities designed to support their recovery goals.”