Now ‘superhospital’ too noisy for patients
Death probes, contaminated water, sewage, pigeon droppings, ‘Grenfell’ cladding, bloody mattresses...
SCOTLAND’S flagship hospital – which is already mired in controversy over design flaws and safety issues – has now been deemed ‘too noisy’ for its patients and staff.
NHS bosses are to spend £2 million to create a ‘less stressful’ environment at the £842 million Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH). They are seeking an expert to introduce improvements throughout the building in Glasgow, creating ‘therapeutic environments’ and ‘spaces that help to reduce anxiety’.
Scotland’s largest NHS facility has already been undergoing rolling repairs following a catalogue of issues since it opened in 2015, including tiles falling off and sewage coming up through the floor.
On several occasions in 2017, glass panels fell from the hospital building, and again in August 2018. Nobody was injured when the panel fell from the tenth floor and shattered near the front entrance.
The Scottish Hospitals Inquiry has been taking evidence to determine how its ventilation system and water contamination affected patient care and whether or not a number of deaths could have been prevented.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) hopes to reduce noise levels in other hospitals, including the Royal Alexandra in Paisley.
Appealing for applications for the post, the health board said first impressions, feelings of inclusion and the creation of therapeutic spaces that help to reduce anxiety are crucial for hospitals.
It added: ‘Hospitals by their nature are noisy places due to the number of people within a relatively small space, and the surfaces tend to be hard and seamless so as to be easily cleaned. This creates a noisy and stress-inducing environment. What design measures could be used to soften these sounds?’
The building has faced a spate of problems. In January 2017, blood and faeces were found on patient trolleys and mattresses during an inspection.
In August that year, ten-year-old patient Milly Main died at the hospital after contracting an infection. Later that month, cladding was removed from the building after it was found to be similar to that used in fire-ravaged Grenfell Tower.
A ten-year-old boy died in December 2018 after contracting the fungal infection cryptococcus, which is present in pigeon droppings. It was found to be a contributing factor in his death.
In February 2019, a probe found ‘widespread contamination’ of the water supply.
The health board’s plan for the hospital follows a study in the British Journal of Nursing in 2016 which found excessive noise in healthcare settings could induce headaches, cause irritability, prolong wound healing and increase sensitivity to pain.
It reported wearing soft-soled shoes and closing doors to areas with excessive noise such as TV rooms could contribute to improved patient outcomes and a better working environment.
An NHSGGC spokesman said: ‘The £2 milion is purely an indicative cost and will be sourced completely through grants and other philanthropic means and will be completed over a number of years as funds become available.
‘The project is not restricted to the hospital entrance at the QEUH and will include the atrium and other public areas across all of our main hospital sites.’