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Paediatric Waiting Area, Outpatients 3, Southmead Hospital

It was intended that the artwork for the paediatric waiting room at Southmead Hospital would:

• Uplift, calm and reassure
• Provide distraction from the hospital environment for patients and their parents
• Be appropriate to and practical in a hospital environment in terms of theme, material and installation

During initiation of the Fresh Arts programme by contractors Willis Newson, consultation with staff across NBT identified key areas in which significant enhancements could be made through implementing several ‘quick fix’ environmental improvement projects.

One such area was a gloomy and scruffy paediatric waiting room in the Outpatients Department at Southmead in which a mural had been started but not completed several years earlier. Charitable Funds had been secured during the initial review period and staff were still keen to make sure the project was delivered.

The Project
A small working group of departmental staff was brought together to oversee the design and delivery process.  At their request, a mural with a tropical rainforest theme was agreed as the most appropriate and immediate way of improving the waiting area. Two local artists, Nicola Ley and Mary Rouncefield, both graduates from University of West of England, were contracted on the strength of their illustration skills. 

Staff embraced the idea of the project from the start and the growing sense of pride in their area was expressed in their eagerness to share the progress of the work to staff less closely involved in the area, as well as chatting to patients and families using the waiting room between painting sessions to explain how the work was developing.

The launch party, with Bristol Zoo’s animal handling unit, afforded staff a positive opportunity to promote NBT’s public health message about infection control; having animals from Bristol Zoo present gave staff chance to talk to patients and their families about hand hygiene and washing in a more informal, softer way than the usual ‘You must do this!’ message.

Building on an existing relationship with John Lewis, the Head of Fundraising negotiated over £200 worth of toys and furniture from the Bristol store to replace worn-out and broken equipment.