First opened in 1997, the project to update the hospice began in February 2014 with the aim of enabling the charity to accommodate the latest equipment and technology.
Children who ordinarily would have received care at Naomi House have stayed in the charity’s sister hospice, Jacksplace, which is located next door to Naomi House, during the work.
The newly opened hospice has larger bedrooms, more bathrooms, a new bereavement suite, spiritual spaces, therapy rooms, sensory room, wheelchair charging points and accommodation for families.
Work has also been carried out in the garden, with spaces for peaceful contemplation alongside a children’s play area featuring a huge wheelchair-accessible galleon. There is also a roof garden, accessible through the new spiritual space.
The facilities are some of the most modern and advanced in the world, with hoists throughout the building, piped oxygen and suction in every room, a brand new heating system that can maintain exact temperatures in each room, and a vast array of sensory equipment for children with special needs.
Assisted by three-year-old patient Mikey Strachan, Alastair Stewart OBE, an appeal patron of the charity, cut the ribbon to officially open the new hospice on Monday.
Patients and families, who will begin to make full use of the new facilities by the end of September, were enthused with what they saw at the opening.
Mikey’s mother, Chevonne Newlands, said: “The problem is going to be to get Mikey to come home, when he comes for his visits. He singled out the sensory room, that’s where he’ll be spending a lot of his time when he comes to stay. We were very lucky to be able to cut the ribbon today – it’s just going to be brilliant for our family to come here, it will be like going on holiday! We’ll finally get to relax.”
Her sentiments were echoed by 10-year-old Sally Evans from Salisbury, who stays at Naomi House for respite care. “I just love it!” she said. “I love the fact that all the rooms aren’t just clumped together, and it’s not just bedrooms, there’s the music room too. It’s a lot more open, so you can actually move your arms and legs. If you move backwards you won’t hit a big pile of stuff.”
The charity’s chief executive, Mark Smith, said that Naomi House was now “the most advanced children’s hospice in the region, providing a fully comprehensive hospice service to families.”
“The staff and volunteer team at Naomi House pride ourselves on delivering high quality, compassionate, individualised care to families from across the region and have done so for nearly 20 years,” he explained.
“The children we serve are now living longer due to increased medical knowledge and technology, and so the complexity of care now required needs a state-of-the-art building and highly trained staff to meet these demands.”
Keith Wilson, marketing manager at Naomi House, added: “The new hospice looks nothing short of incredible. While we may have modernised the entire building, and equipped it with a vast array of the latest technology, it doesn’t feel cold or clinical in any way. The design has preserved that welcoming and homely feel that Naomi House has always benefited from and I can’t wait to see the first children enjoying the hospice and completing the final piece of the jigsaw.”
For more information about Naomi House and Jacksplace, please visit the charity’s website.
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