PATIENTS at Colchester Hospital are benefitting from a £350,000 ward refurbishment.

The trauma and orthopaedic specialist ward was given a complete overhaul as it was looking outdated.

Fordham Ward cares for patients aged 16 and over with bone and joint conditions.

Hospital bosses hope the brighter and more modern surroundings will make patients’ hospital stay less stressful.

Rossa Baker, senior matron for the musculoskeletal division at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, welcomed the improvements which took about eight weeks to complete.

She said: “It’s made such a big difference.

“It has freed up a lot of space in the middle of the ward so those patients who can and need to get up and moving have room to go for a walk.

“They can walk without having to squeeze past the nurses’ desk as that has now been removed.

“We’ve had really good feedback about the space and how light and colourful it is for patients.”

Debbie Allen, who is the capital projects officer at the hospital trust, said the colour scheme was chosen for the ward by following dementia guidelines.

It will help relax patients with the condition or with other cognitive impairments after surgery.

The entrances to the bays are painted in bright colours and themed with flowers.

There are also dementia friendly handrails and new clocks in each of the bays.

Other improvements to the ward, which is on Constable Wing,include:

  • a new reception desk and doctors’ observation area
  • new showers, toilets and basins
  • new flooring and hygiene cladding on the walls
  • bigger storage rooms
  • redecoration throughout
  • new energy efficient lighting and over bed side lamps
  • new nurse call system and intercom security.