Winner of the Better Healthcare Award for the Best Design of an MHU in the UK in 2003
The Practice was appointed in February 2000 to undertake the design development for Phase 1 of the Mental Health Services Rationalisation for the Pembrokeshire & Derwen NHS Trust (now Hywel Dda LHB) funded through the Welsh Assembly Government. The 3.5 acre site, a former SWALEC depot, was acquired with the benefit of outline consent, and the scheme was developed in close consultation with Mental Health Services and their respective user groups. The project comprised the building of a new 15 bed Older Adult inpatient ward and a 32 bed Adult Acute Unit. These are linked to the existing outpatient day hospital on the site next to Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest.
An intrinsic element of the design was to generate a very domestic and pleasant environment for patients with dedicated male and female garden areas. These offer privacy and tranquillity with the provision of external occupational therapy and relaxation areas. A great emphasis was placed upon the external environment and therefore the soft and hard landscaping scheme is of an extremely high quality and intensity.
This project formed part of the re-provision of services from St.David’s Hospital, Carmarthen, and anticipated to involve further rationalization works at other locations.