South Warwickshire Foundation Trust - What's at the end of the rainbow in Radiology?

South Warwickshire Foundation Trust - What's at the end of the rainbow in Radiology? featured image

The Radiology department at South Warwickshire Foundation Trust has recently undergone a ‘facelift’,our Rainbow Chairs and blinds, have brightened up the patient waiting area hugely improving the look and feel of the area making it less clinical in approach reducing anxiety and is a positive talking point for patients and staff.

The Rainbow Waiting Room is not the only new addition to the department. On 10th September 2018 we proudly opened our new CT scanner. The CT Service underpins a whole range of specialities and procedures, which allows the Trust to continue to deliver an emergency service 24/7 365 days a year for inpatients, A&E referrals and outpatients thus reducing length of stay, maintaining flow and supporting the delivery of National targets (RTT)

The new Cannon Acquillion Prime SP CT scanner assists the department in delivering the 350+ scans referred weekly.

The CT Scanning room has undergone refurbishment in order to welcome the new scanner with a tranquil lilac theme to assist in relaxing patients and improving staff working environments However, the most significant addition to the exquisite new room is the amazing ceiling. CT lighting has a profound effect on the health and recovery process of patients. While natural daylight offers the best therapeutic benefits, in hospitals where inward-facing planning is an unavoidable part of building design, a wide array of ambient, and artificial lighting is required.

Nature art in CT lighting relies on backlit panels featuring an assortment of outdoor scenes and the ceiling design at Warwick gives a powerful simulation of open sky and undisturbed nature. The result is an impressive luminescent three-dimensional effect on a two-dimensional image , which creates an illusory result that triggers a deeper "Relaxation Response" , which taps into our innate love of nature by a visual connection to the open sky.

The ceiling image has immediate benefits to the clinical environment that include ; enhanced patient relaxation and emotional balance, improved clinical health outcomes (reduces acute stress and anxiety), reduces claustrophobia and disorientation in enclosed interiors, generates higher patient satisfaction scores and aids staff wellness and productivity. Our Luminous ‘Sky’ Ceiling is helping therefore to provide a very calming atmosphere and has already been a big hit with the patients as it has been likened to “very much like having a real skylight in the room.”

The environment is not the only change we have undertaken a huge recruitment drive for and Consultant Radiologists, Radiographers, Sonographers, Assistant Practitioners, Reporting Radiographers, and some newly formed posts too including Consultant Radiographers in both Breast Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Radiology CESR Training package (Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration), Trainee Sonographer, Trainee Radiographer, Trainee Assistant Practitioners, Trainee DEXA Sonographer and future plans for a Midwifery Led Obstetric Ultrasound Service .

Like our waiting room the future for Radiology at SWFT is looking bright, watch this space as there are more surprises to come as we continue to grow and develop to meet the needs of our patients and changing demands of Radiological Health Care.

South-Warwickshire-Whats-at-the-end-of-the-rainbow-in-Radiology.

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