A great grandfather has officially opened a new garden for patients and staff at North Manchester General Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Victor Lund spent 64 days on the ICU after contracting severe pneumonia and, while recovering on the ward, he discussed the idea of a garden to help both patients and staff.
And Allison Keegan, an advanced critical care practitioner at the hospital quickly whipped up support among her colleagues and has now turned Victor’s garden vision into a reality.
Bringing the garden to life, Novus Property Solutions donated materials and labour free of charge to deliver the landscaping of the space, which included gravel and paving for accessibility alongside the installation of benches and planters.
Novus has a longstanding relationship with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and has carried out a wide variety of refurbishment and maintenance works across the estates since it was appointed to the Measured Term Framework in July 2015.
There's lots of evidence that being outside helps patients become less confused and can also reduce the length of stay
Lund, 77, who became a great grandfather in August with the birth of his great granddaughter, Olivia, said at the official opening of the garden: “I just wanted to go out into the garden and feel the air and breeze through my hair.
“You can’t beat the fresh air – it makes you feel so much better – I think it’s a magical garden and I want to thank everyone for letting me open the space, which will benefit patients recovering from their trauma, along with the staff.”
Keegan added: “It's a fantastic feeling to get to the end of the ICU garden project.
“There's lots of evidence that being outside helps patients become less confused and can also reduce the length of stay.
“It really does help with patients’ morale – if they have been inside for weeks and weeks then there is a massive difference to their wellbeing when they can go outside.”
Our Build Back Better social value initiative aims to tackle some of the key issues in society, including mental health and wellbeing, so we’re delighted to have created a space for patients and NHS staff alike to enjoy
And Chris Murphy, head of operations at Novus Property Solutions, said: “We always aim to go the extra mile when it comes to delivering projects for our highly-valued clients, and we’re proud to have taken the lead with the transformation of North Manchester General Hospital’s ICU Garden while we carried out contracted refurbishment works.
“As a family-owned business, people are at the heart of everything we do, from our own colleagues to our clients and end users and our Build Back Better social value initiative aims to tackle some of the key issues in society, including mental health and wellbeing, so we’re delighted to have created a space for patients and NHS staff alike to enjoy.”