Design

The project involved stakeholder engagement with all key users and patient parent steering group. A VR model was created giving perspectives from both child and adult heights to tailor the design to deferent viewpoints. The design needed to “operate” like a hospital whilst not “feeling” like a hospital. A key element of this was to create a calming waiting area, supporting wellbeing and reducing user anxiety. This was achieved through a tranquil “forest” concept, an integral element being a central feature tree installation.

In-use

The CDC is a busy centre where children and young people can be seen by community paediatricians, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy for multi-disciplinary assessment or single disciplinary assessment.

New audiology pods, which are acoustically isolated and soundproof, facilitate hearing testing within the Child Development Centre. To ensure accessibility, the floor in this area has been locally raised to provide level access to the booths. The scheme also incorporates a dedicated quiet waiting area for users who may be sensitive to sound, as well as a physiotherapy gym and changing facilities.

The dedicated Children's Audiology team were previously located in the same wing, although separate from the main Child Development Centre (CDC). The new scheme enhances operational efficiencies by consolidating various healthcare disciplines, staff, and administrative spaces into a unified area within the CDC. This integration allows for a more streamlined and cohesive approach to child development services.