Tackling sanctuary and bereavement spaces

Founder and director of Bristol-based arts consultancy, Willis Newson, Jane Willis, describes how the firm worked closely with a number of teams at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and commissioned artists to redesign the Bereavement Suite and Sanctuary Space at Bristol Royal Infirmary to provide more solace and comfort to bereaved visitors and relatives as part of a major conversion and extension project.

Sometimes we go to hospital for a routine procedure, to have a baby, or to visit a relative, and everything turns out fine. Sometimes, however, the story ends differently, and we face acutely challenging emotional experiences. The discussion of how our healthcare spaces support people’s different experiences and care for people in times of crisis is increasingly important.

We at arts and health consultancy, Willis Newson, worked with the team at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust to consider this when redesigning the Trust’s Bereavement Suite and Sanctuary Space at Bristol Royal Infirmary, integrating art into the environment. Teams from Patient Affairs, Mortuary, and Sanctuary, at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust worked together with Willis Newson and the commissioned artists to improve some of the hospital’s public-facing spaces in order to better support bereaved visitors and relatives at every step of their journey.