An underused room in Worthing Children’s Ward has been refurbished thanks to funding from Rockinghorse, making it a great space for teenagers in hospital.
Bluefin Ward in Worthing Hospital looks after children of all ages, including teenagers up to the age of 18. The staff in the ward see all sorts of different conditions, including mental health issues, and having a space away from their beds, especially if they have a long stay in the ward, is really important for young people.
Not only does it give them a break away from their bed, but it also provides a space that helps them to relax, have fun and even open up to staff about the experiences and feelings they have during their treatment.
Hayley, Play Assistant on the ward for the last 15 years, explained more about what the space was like before being re-furbished. She said, “The room was orange, and the furniture was very old – I think our sofa was 10 years old, maybe even older! We didn’t have any suitable seating, and people would just have to stand in here.
“We had no storage, our DVDs were up against the wall, which was great when you’re trying to get a middle DVD out! Puzzles and games were everywhere, and I could tell when people walked in, they were like, oh, it needs quite a bit of work.”
During COVID the room became a dumping ground as it wasn’t being used, so when we eventually came out of lockdown, it seemed like a great opportunity to make the space more usable. Staff also spoke to some of the young people who used the space what they would like to see in the room.
Along with being painted, there’s lots more storage, new chairs and sofas, bean bags, a table and chairs, TV and games consoles. The room was transformed and is now a really popular space.
Hayley said, “It looks amazing in here. It’s really bright, and it’s just made such a difference. Our regular patients just want to be in here. And you have a family that come in maybe for an operation and they don’t expect any of this. And you just see them instantly relax as a family and I think to have a space like this is just amazing and we’re just so grateful.”
“It’s not a clinical room, you don’t feel like you’re in a hospital. It’s a really calming space and it actually makes them forget where they are, which is what we want.”
And there’s also an impact on the treatment that the young people have. She added, “When you’re in here, you do feel like patients do open up more than in a clinical area. We might be doing a puzzle or game, and it can go from this to chatting about their favourite music to what’s going on at home, especially with our mental health patients.
“The conversation just flows and teenagers will literally open up about everything. And that’s to do with this room. That’s the difference it’s made.”
Youth Worker Paul Peacock agrees. He works predominantly with young people from the age of 13 and has also seen the benefit to his work that the space has made.
He said, “Being a young person coming into hospital, especially because of your mental health, it’s actually quite a scary experience. Then being stuck in a little cubicle or on a bay with children, it just adds to that.
“So being able to bring them in here, a space away from it, has been so beneficial. We use everything in here as tools to open up engagement and talking to them. Because it’s about relationship building and they need to trust you. It’s so much easier just playing cards and then having a conversation more than going, so why are you here? What have you done?”
The room, named Charlie’s in honour of a patient who spent most of their life in the ward, and who passed away around 20 years ago, is such a wonderful asset to the hospital and we are incredible proud to have been able to help create it.
To find out about other projects we are funding across Sussex, take a look at our Project pages here.
