Release date: 15 June
Leading design agency, PearsonLloyd, has been selected to rethink hospital Accident and Emergency departments in a bid to develop innovative new ways to reduce violence and aggression towards NHS staff, which is estimated to cost at least £69 million a year in staff absence, loss of productivity and additional security.
The year-long project, Reducing violence and aggression in A&E by design is being run by the Design Council, and has been commissioned by the Department of Health.
The agency was selected from a field of 47 applications by an independent panel of 20 experts in specialisms such as design, health care, patient experience, architecture and security which was convened by the Design Council.
To respond to the challenge PearsonLloyd formed a partnership the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, Tavistock Institute, Tavistock Consultancy Service, Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust, Prof Jonathan Benger from the University of West of England and Dr Nigel Caldwell, University of Bath.
They are currently working with frontline staff from three NHS Hospital Trusts to understand this complex issue before developing and trialling user-centred design solution to address the triggers for violence and aggression in A&E departments. The solutions, which are expected to include service, information and interior design, will be unveiled in October 2011.
Sunand Prasad, Chair of the judging panel said: “This project stems from the belief that the experience of going to and working in an accident and emergency department can be hugely improved by rethinking their design. That has to mean design in its widest sense, from organisational aspects such as the way people, in need of help, are received and given information to the physical settings in which they will spend some time. The applications to take part in the challenge were hugely impressive in the evident talent of the teams as well as their focus on people's experience. PearsonsLloyd's submission demonstrated exceptional capabilities to creatively analyse and address key issues across their breadth and depth.”
Tom Lloyd explained why they wanted to be involved: “The team is delighted to have been awarded funding to tackle such a challenging role as reducing violence in A&E departments through design. Patients and staff have a right to use and deliver the service in an atmosphere of mutual respect and safety, and we look forward to working with the Department of Health and Design Council on this important project”
Reducing violence and aggression in A&E by design follows the success of similar initiatives by the Design Council and the Department of Health to improve patient privacy and dignity and reduce MRSA and C. difficile.
The ambition is that innovations emerging from this latest project demonstrate a recorded reduction in violent assaults in NHS A&E departments and are intended to be universally applicable, so that they can be rolled out across England’s hospitals.
Further information
Please contact
The Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5221
Andrea Britt, Design Council: 0207 420 5263 / andrea.britt@designcouncil.org.uk
Notes to editors
1. An NHS staff survey from the CQC in 2010 revealed that 8 per cent of staff experienced physical violence from patients or their families in the previous year. Figures from the NHS Security Management Service also show that the number of reported physical assaults against staff is on the rise across the NHS. In 2009/10 there were over 150 physical assaults per day on healthcare staff - a total of 56,718 physical assaults in England.
2. The year-long project, ‘Reducing violence and aggression in A&E by design’ is being run by the Design Council, and has been commissioned by the Department of Health.
3. To help in the development process, the Design Council has recruited an Advisory Board of highly respected designers, clinicians, NHS managers, healthcare experts, staff and patients’ organisations to advise the winning teams during the design and development phase.
4. Judging panel members:
- Chair: Sunand Prasad, Penoyre & Prasad – Senior Partner
- Andy West, MultiAdaptor – Partner
- Bruce Hellman, Serco Consulting – Artemis Digital Programme Manager
- Colum Lowe, Being Design – Design Management Consultant
- Chris Tann, Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - Head of Estates and Capital Projects
- David Parks, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust – Capital Projects Team Manager
- Dr David Wise, Barts and The London NHS Trust – Senior A&E Trauma Consultant Surgeon
- Fergus Harradence, Department for Business Innovation and Skills – Deputy Director, Innovation and Technology Policy
- Frances Wiseman, Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust – Director of Operations
- Dr Joanne Crawford, IOM Consulting Ltd – Senior Ergonomist and Consultant
- Neal Stone, Leapstone Ltd – Design Management Consultant
- Malcolm Alexander, National Voices – Member
- Marianne Guldbrandsen, Design Council – Head of Design Strategy
- Martin Bontoft, Bontoft Ltd – User Researcher and Design Strategist
- Lorna Wain, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust – Design Adviser
- Sarah Waller CBE, King’s Fund Policy Institute – Director, Enhancing the Healing Environment Programme
- Becky Rowe, ESRO Ltd – Research Director
- Elspeth Finch, Atkins Global – Director, Highways and Transportation
- Lorraine Harris, NHS Business Services Authority, Counter Fraud and Security Management Service – Policy Manager, Property and Assets
- Sue Hewer, Independent – Design Management Consultant
5. The Design Council places design at the heart of growth and renewal in Britain. As one of the world’s leading design institutions, The Design Council is a unified voice for a broad spectrum of design, architecture and public space, placing good design at the heart of social and economic renewal. We demonstrate how design can help build a stronger economy and improve everyday life through practical projects with industry, public services and education.
6. To see the design briefs please go to www.designcouncil.org.uk/AandE
7. You can find out more information and statistics on violence against NHS staff at http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/SecurityManagement/2286.aspx