I N T E R V I E W S :
P A T I E N T E X P E R I E N C E
[ 1 ] A S A P A T I E N T W H A T H O S P I T A L W E R E Y O U I N A N D W H A T T R E A T M E N T D I D Y O U R E C E I V E ?
PETER SEDDON [ 67 ]
Pembury Hospital before replaced by Tunbridge Wells Hospital
KEVIN FINCH [ 57 ]
East Grinstead for partial foot amputation and burns treatment and Tunbridge Wells for sepsis and diabetic care
MARGARET STANGER [ 75 ]
Nuffield Hospital, Tunbridge Wells for a hysterectomy
SUSAN MARCROFT [ 52 ]
Maidstone Hospital for laser treatment on kidney stones
HELENE MARCROFT [ 54 ]
Maidstone Hospital for breast cancer surgery and radiotherapy and then pembury Hospital for chemotherapy
DEBORAH LUCAS [ 51 ]
Nuffield Hospital in Tunbridge wells for my snapped Achilles
[ 2 ] H O W L O N G D I D Y O U S P E N D A S A P A T I E N T I N H O S P I T A L ?
PETER SEDDON [ 67 ]
Spent 1 week there
KEVIN FINCH [ 57 ]
At East Grinstead 3 months with shorter intervals, and Tunbridge Wells 3 weeks stay
MARGARET STANGER [ 75 ]
2 weeks
SUSAN MARCROFT [ 52 ]
3 days
HELENE MARCROFT [ 54 ]
Maidstone hospital was surgery plus 5 days. Radiotherapy as an outpatient daily for 3 weeks and Pembury hospital for 5 months chemotherapy in 3 hour sessions
DEBORAH LUCAS [ 51 ]
2 days
[ 3 ] H O W W O U L D Y O U D E S C R I B E T H E S ER V I C E R E C E I V E D F R O M S T A F F
A N D T H E FA C I L I T I E S ?
PETER SEDDON [ 67 ]
I’d say it was good.
KEVIN FINCH [ 57 ]
Excellent care across both sites. East Grinstead was communal with wards, whereas Tunbridge Wells was more isolated with individual rooms, however both were satisfactory.
MARGARET STANGER [ 75 ]
Service and care was very good.
SUSAN MARCROFT [ 52 ]
Excellent care from nurses and other staff, although some less able elderly patients didn’t get the attention they needed due to nurses time constraints. I was on a mixed ward, which was noisy at times and, for me, was not as restful as when I had previously stayed in hospital in a private room. The facilities were what you would expect in most hospitals, large wards with about 10 to 12 beds, think there was a TV room but I didn’t use it. Bathroom facilities as standard for a hospital ward.
HELENE MARCROFT [ 54 ]
Excellent. Staff were very friendly, helpful, understanding, efficient, knowledgeable and accommodating. The facilities were modern, and very clean.
DEBORAH LUCAS [ 51 ]
Facilities were good, and staff were attentive.
[ 4 ] D I D T H E B U I L D I N G A N D S P A C E S M A K E Y O U F E E L B E T T E R, T H E S A M E,
O R W O R S E ? W H Y ?
PETER SEDDON [ 67 ]
Think they made me feel the same
KEVIN FINCH [ 57 ]
It made the stay more tolerable as the rooms were clean and spacious. When feeling particularly unwell, Tunbridge Wells individual rooms and bathroom facilities were convenient.
MARGARET STANGER [ 75 ]
I felt the same, had no other effect.
SUSAN MARCROFT [ 52 ]
The same. I didn’t feel particularly relaxed on the mixed ward, with a group of strangers. I feel that when I am unwell I feel vulnerable and the ward situation makes me feel very exposed. There is usually a lot of noise and this isn’t the most relaxing atmosphere to be in when you feel ill.
HELENE MARCROFT [ 54 ]
Felt too ill to bother me too much although it was a bonus that facilities were clean and modern rather than dusty and antiquated.
DEBORAH LUCAS [ 51 ]
I felt the same, but I would say if I had stayed longer I would have felt better due to lots of natural light.
[ 5 ] O F T H E A R E A S I N T H E H O S P I T A L T H A T Y O U U S E D, W E R E T H E R E A N Y
F E A T U R E S O F T H E A R C H I T E C T U R E A N D D E S I G N T H A T G A V E A
P A R T I C U L A R L Y P O S I T I V E O R N E G A T I V E E X P E R I E N C E ?
PETER SEDDON [ 67 ]
Not any I can remember.
KEVIN FINCH [ 57 ]
Individual rooms which were good sized were most convenient, but the rooms were basic design wise and minimalistic.
MARGARET STANGER [ 75 ]
Not anything in particular.
SUSAN MARCROFT [ 52 ]
I wasn’t aware of the architecture of the building and therefore cannot comment on that. Perhaps this suggests that there wasn’t anything positive about it that had an effect on me. The ward was clean and fairly bright. I would say that my overall experience was negative.
HELENE MARCROFT [ 54 ]
Corridors leading to departments were relatively easy to navigate which helps when you're feeling anxious. Getting lost can be daunting when you're feeling vulnerable.
DEBORAH LUCAS [ 51 ]
If I had to say, it would be positive.
[ 6 ] I S A R C H I T E C T U R E A N D T H E W A Y A S P A C E I S D E S I G N E D R E L E V A N T T O H E L P I N G A P A T I E N T H E A L A N D S U P P O R T I N G H E A L TH A N D
W E L L – B E I N G ? W H Y ?
PETER SEDDON [ 67 ]
Yes, having your own room as opposed to the ward environment is good.
KEVIN FINCH [ 57 ]
Environments which are well designed and utilise space can therefore have a positive impact on patients experience and therefore could aid their recovery.
MARGARET STANGER [ 75 ]
Unsure if it applies.
SUSAN MARCROFT [ 52 ]
We are all affected either positively or negatively by our environment, perhaps we are even more susceptible to this when we are unwell and in hospital. If we can feel, calm, relaxed, positive and brightened by our surroundings this will have a positive effect on our wellbeing and therefore on our recovery.
HELENE MARCROFT [ 54 ]
If your surroundings and environment are pleasing to the eye it helps you to feel comfortable and relaxed which is a major contribution to aid recovery.
DEBORAH LUCAS [ 51 ]
Yes, surroundings help create a positive mind which aids healing.
[ 7 ] D I D T H E H O S P I T A L A N D S P A C E S Y O U U S E D P R O V I D E V I E W S O F
N A T U R E A N D A C C E S S T O T H E O U T D O O R S ?
PETER SEDDON [ 67 ]
No
KEVIN FINCH [ 57 ]
Yes
MARGARET STANGER [ 75 ]
It had limited views to outside but this didn’t have much of an effect on me.
SUSAN MARCROFT [ 52 ]
I’d say there were limited views and access to the outdoors.
HELENE MARCROFT [ 54]
No
DEBORAH LUCAS [ 51 ]
They had access
[ 8 ] W H A T E F F E C T D I D T H I S H A V E O N Y O U ?
PETER SEDDON [ 67 ]
Closed off.
KEVIN FINCH [ 57 ]
It was nice not to feel enclosed and to not feel claustrophobic.
MARGARET STANGER [ 75 ]
Didn’t have much of an effect on me.
SUSAN MARCROFT [ 52 ]
I personally like to have a lot of natural daylight during the day wherever I am and therefore found this made me feel sluggish - how you feel when you’re stuck indoors and can’t get out if unwell. Also there was nothing there to distract me from the fact that I was in hospital.
HELENE MARCROFT [ 54 ]
Didn't have an effect on me, although, maybe if my hospital stay was longer it may have done. It's nice to have somewhere for thinking, relaxing, admiring plants or meeting others.
DEBORAH LUCAS [ 51 ]
Being able to see outside connects you to the real world.
[ 9 ] A E S T H E T I C A L L Y W H A T W O U L D Y O U L I K E T O S E E I N H O S P I T A L D E S I G N
T H A T M I G H T A S S I S T Y O U R H E A L I N G P R O C E S S O R S I M P L Y M A K E Y O U
F E E L B E T T E R ? F O R E X A M P L E , I D E A L L O C A T I O N , N A T U R E , L I G H T ,
W I N D O W S , M A T E R I A L S , C E R T A I N C O L O U R S , A R T W O R K , S I Z E O F
I N T E R I O R S P A C E S ?
PETER SEDDON [ 67 ]
Brighter colours, less plain.
KEVIN FINCH [ 57 ]
It would have been nice to have larger windows that I could open, that’s at Tunbridge Wells hospital.
MARGARET STANGER [ 75 ]
A pleasant location and spacious interior spaces.
SUSAN MARCROFT [ 52 ]
Location ideally semi-rural, although this wouldn’t suit everyone. Access to and views of countryside or just gardens with bird feeders and interesting planting with seating available, personally I would prefer private rooms with plenty of natural light and large windows that are easy to open, I would prefer uncluttered lines and spaces, with easy clean surfaces. A variety of colours for different spaces depending on their uses. Artwork in and around the hospital for added interest and stimulation.
HELENE MARCROFT [ 54 ]
It's good to see artwork so it doesn't look so clinical and to ensure the size of interior spaces are adequate for the amount of patients as the chemo department was quite cramped.
DEBORAH LUCAS [ 51 ]
I think a combination of all of those.
[ 10 ] I N W H A T W A Y S C O U L D M E D I C A L A N D H E A L T H B U I L D I N G S H E L P T O
R E D U C E T H E S T R E S S O F T H O S E T H A T U S E T H E M ? C H O O S E F O U R O F
T H E F O L L O W I N G O P T I O N S / S U G G E S T Y O U R O W N .
PETER SEDDON [ 67 ]
Provide a welcoming entrance.
Make the space easy to navigate.
Allow patients to have more control over their surroundings.
Provide diverse spaces to make the space interesting to use.
KEVIN FINCH [ 57 ]
Reduce noise levels.
Easy access to and views of the outdoors.
Allow patients to have more control over their surroundings.
Other – to locate departments together logically – more to do with Tunbridge Wells.
MARGARET STANGER [ 75 ]
Make the space easy to navigate.
Reduce noise levels.
Provision of social spaces [family, friends, other patients].
Provide diverse spaces to make the space interesting to use.
SUSAN MARCROFT [ 52 ]
Reduce noise levels.
Provision of smaller, private spaces.
Allow patients to have more control over their surroundings.
Other - Good bathroom facilities that are clean and easily accessible.
HELENE MARCROFT [ 54 ]
Make the space easy to navigate.
Provision of social spaces [family, friends, other patients].
Provision of smaller, private spaces.
Inclusion of nature e.g. plants.
DEBORAH LUCAS [ 51 ]
Provide a welcoming entrance.
Make the space easy to navigate.
Easy access to and views of the outdoors.
Provision of social spaces [family, friends, other patients].
HAYLEY MARCROFT
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE | NTU
N0495471