Celebrating improvements to children and young people’s services
10 Jul 2025
Ifor ward and children’s outpatients have been transformed to increase service efficiency and improve patient experience.
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We're proud to announce the completion of a series of significant improvements to our hospital's children’s inpatient ward, Ifor Ward, and Outpatient Clinic, designed to maximise space and transform the experience for our hospital’s youngest patients.
Planning for these enhancements started just after the pandemic, and today, were officially unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Four key changes to the area have been introduced:
A redesigned mental health assessment room
As you can see in the before/after picture, the previous room was outdated and a little “young” in design.
The Ifor Ward team worked closely with their mental health colleagues to create a bright, welcoming space for children and young people in crisis.
Inspired by the warmth of a sunset, the new decor and soft furnishings provide a calmer, more supportive environment, with flooring purposefully chosen to differentiate it from the ward, helping young people feel less like they are in hospital. This project was made possible thanks to donors to Whittington Health Charity and Bright Horizons.
A new outpatient clinical room
Staff had the innovative idea of transforming their medical notes room into an outpatient appointment space.
As patient records continue to move towards electronic systems, the old notes room was able to be relocated, freeing up space for clinical use.
A dedicated allergy clinic bay
Previously, the outpatient allergy clinic bay operated within the busy inpatient ward, making food preparation for allergy testing challenging. The clinic has now been moved to the height and weight area and named 'Coral Bay', inspired by the colourful sea-themed artwork on the walls.
The new layout includes a dedicated food preparation space, making it safer and more efficient for staff and patients alike.
A new adolescent relaxation space
Recognising the needs of older children, a dedicated adolescent area has been created with a comfortable couch and a desk for drawing or colouring, giving patients a welcoming space to step away from their beds.
These projects were supported by generous donations from Whittington Health Charity and Bright Horizons.
Selina Douglas, CEO of Whittington Health NHS Trust, said: “These new spaces are truly brought to life by our brilliant and compassionate staff. It’s so important that our children and young people departments feel safe, positive and welcoming. Being in hospital can be stressful, and these new environments gives these patients the opportunity to relax and feel more at ease during their time at the Whit.”
Mary Sellings, Matron of Acute Paediatrics, said: “This has been a true team effort over a couple of years of planning. A huge thank you to everyone who helped turn these ideas into reality."
Next steps
Looking ahead, Whittington Health Charity and Bright Horizons are committed to further improvements, with plans now underway to refurbish the children’s outdoor play area, staff kitchen, sensory room and the paediatric waiting area.
If you would like to support this important work, please consider donating to the Whittington Health Charity.
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