Bedford Hospital, part of Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has opened an end-of-life care room called the Blossom Room in Shand Ward at Bedford Hospital.
The calming, comfortable, and private room features a blossom-themed sky panel, television, pink furnishings and a reclining bed chair for relatives to stay close by.
The idea of the Blossom Room was spearheaded by Jane Arnold, in memory of her father Barry Gilbert, who was extremely grateful to be able to spend time with him during his last days in May 2020.
Jane Arnold said: “The room looks absolutely fantastic, and I know that it will bring great comfort to both the patient and those who find themselves having to say goodbye to their loved ones. I hope this room shows people how important end of life/palliative care is, not just for those who are dying, but for those who are left.”
The calming, comfortable, and private room features a blossom-themed sky panel
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity has delivered this project thanks to Jane and other supporters including Bedford Hospital Charity and Friends.
The Blossom Room will also be welcomed by Blossom Volunteers who provide support and companionship to those receiving end-of-life care and their loved ones. They help to ensure that, wherever possible, no one dies alone.
Annie Tucker, Blossom Service Co-ordinator at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity said: “We are always looking for ways to enhance patient care and relatives experience for our end of life patients and the Blossom Room does exactly that. A huge thank you to our donors for making this happen. We really hope we can create more rooms like this for our patients in the future.”
Liz Lees, Chief Nurse at Bedfordshire Hospitals said: “Saying goodbye to a loved one is one of the most difficult things to do, but having the Blossom Room available will really make such a difference to our patients and their relatives. We are so grateful for all the support in making this possible.”
Top image: Blossom Room in Shand Ward at Bedford Hospital