Called the Peddars Way Unit, after the famous national trail that weaves through Suffolk and Norfolk, it has been specially designed to provide a calming and peaceful space away from busy hospital wards.
Located in a new modular building and due to open this Autumn, it will be for patients who are too ill to move from the hospital.
It is not an alternative to North Norfolk Hospice’s Tapping House, which has guided and advised us in the unit’s development.
Funding for the new unit has been provided by the hospital’s own QEHKL Charity with contributions from the League of Friends charity.
Each of the rooms will be en-suite and sympathetically equipped so that family members can spend precious time with their loved ones in comfort for as long as they need to.
Influenced by the beauty of nature along Peddars Way, the rooms will be called Blossom, Lavender, Meadow, Oak and Willow.
Each room will feel far less clinical, having restful and calming lighting and there will be specially commissioned artwork – funded by the League of Friends – which will draw upon the individual themes.
CEO Alice Webster, who has been instrumental in driving forward the project, said: “As a nurse and having worked closely with the Palliative and End of Life team, I have long recognised the need for a dedicated end of life unit at The QEH.
“Some of our patients in the final hours and days are too ill to move elsewhere and receive end of life care on our wards. Our Peddars Way Unit will provide them and their loved ones a place of outstanding care, dignity and comfort.
“We have very strong relationships with The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House who provide a wonderful service to so many local families when they need it most. I am hugely grateful for their support and advice which has been invaluable in shaping our plans.
“Giving people an opportunity to spend those final precious moments together, away from the business of the main hospital, is so important. I hope our new unit will go some way to bringing comfort during a very distressing time.”
It is anticipated that there will be numerous additional items required to give the Peddars Way Unit the soothing environment that the team involved in its creation aspire to provide.
More information about the Peddars Way Unit development will be available on the charity website www.qehklcharity.co.uk .
Ends. Notes to editors; For media enquiries only, please contact Communications Team, media.enquiries@qehkl.nhs.uk or 01553 613216. For all other enquiries, please contact QEH Switchboard on 01553 613613.
QEH Media Hub 