The ‘Evergreen’ ward was designed to provide specialist, short-term care for children and young people aged 13-17 with severe or complex mental health difficulties.

The ward at the Luton Centre for Mental Health will have much-needed new facilities with 8 general adolescent beds. A permanent Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) unit consisting of 8 beds will be developed as part of the wider modernising inpatient care programme in Bedford. Evergreen is situated on the first floor of Calnwood Court, on the Luton and Dunstable Hospital site.

Working closely with Castons and Kingsway Group, we converted the 1st floor of Calnwood Court into a secure unit with fully anti-ligature integrated systems comprising 8 bedrooms, staff and wellbeing facilities that will provide 24-hour monitoring, care and support to patients and the local community. The development of the new service is being undertaken in conjunction with children, parents and carers who have experience of inpatient admission.

As this secure ward is to be used to accommodate young people the secure customisable vision panels help bring a level of vibrancy and personalisation, designed to help remove the institutional feel a ward can sometimes create. Working with the Trust, a range of images based on the wishes of the clinical team to include woodland, plant and water themes. Evergreen is the first and special development in the region offering a holistic service for young people. They were asked to be involved in the design development, and attend meetings and interviews, for an inclusive role in this new venture.