Case Study - Wrexham Maelor Adult Acute and Older People's Unit

As Part of the Welsh Estates Designed for Life Framework Programme, the £25m Wrexham Maelor Hospital Mental Health Unit project is a reprovision of services formerly housed in accommodation on the main hospital site. The service provision for the 5,400 sq.m scheme includes two 18 bed acute wards, an eight bed pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), assessment suite, electroconvulsive (ECT) therapy suite as well as substantial shared activity facilities and supporting accommodation.

The project was described by the North East NHS Trust as leading the way in its approach to aspects of mental health care. In keeping with changing attitudes towards the interior design of such facilities, Laidlaw's Orbis Anti-Ligature range of architectural ironmongery complete with the Salto SVN System utilising the Anti-Ligature XS4 leverset, were specified for their aesthetics as much as their functionality.

Designed by Architects Aedas and built by Interserve it was opened by the then Health Minister Edwina Hart. The key concept for the Unit has been provision of single bedroom accommodation in light, airy comfortable wards and accommodation which 'complements the therapeutic interventions of the staff'. The clear intention to no longer rely on the use of the Orbis Stainless steel door furniture and accessories. Indeed, the brief was to have little or no element of the interior which would normally be associated with mental health care environments. It has been designed to allow discrete entry and assessment whilst providing a separate bright and welcoming entrance foyer.

The Orbis Anti-Ligature range is a further example of Laidlaw's continuing development of specialised products of the highest standard. With the benefit of factory installation, an integrated package of the highest standard. With the benefit of factory installation, an integrated package of door, frame, architraves, glazing, access control, signage and ironmongery can be supplied. Laidlaw's Corporate Business Manager Sean Carrington commented "Anti-Ligature projects are inherently exacting and Laidlaw's involvement with such high profile developments illustrates the extent to which our reprovision of servicesexperience is now widely acknowledged".