A year after Altro safety flooring was installed in the pioneering £1 m ‘Forget Me Not’ dementia ward at Warrington Hospital, statistics have revealed that the products are helping ‘to vastly improve life for patients and staff’.
Lee Bushell, Warrington Hospital’s estates officer, Capital Projects, said: “The results we have seen so far are astounding. There are fewer patient attacks on staff, fewer slips, trips, and falls, and patients with a history of violence are quickly calm and relaxed after arriving at the unit. Length of stay has vastly reduced – which, for a unit with only 21 beds, is a major consideration – and there is less sickness and absence among staff because they are happier in their working environment.
“Flooring plays an important role in dementia-friendly design, because patients need to feel confident moving around the space. We chose Altro Wood Safety and Altro Aquarius flooring for the new ward because we have used them both before with great success.”
Altro Wood Safety was installed throughout the ward and public areas. Its timber-look design is warm and familiar, a key issue for patient wellbeing, and it also provides slip resistance underfoot for the patients. Altro Aquarius has been fitted in showers, bathrooms, and toilets.
“The benefit of Altro Aquarius is that it is safe underfoot in wet areas with both bare feet and shoes, so for an environment where staff wearing shoes will be assisting patients with bare feet, it is ideal,” said Lee Bushell. “It is also a very hygienic product, specifically developed for clinical environments.”
Altro Limited
Works Road
Letchworth Garden City
Hertfordshire
SG6 1NW
Tel: 01462 489516
www.altro.co.uk
