Synopsis

Mossley Hill is a new-built, 80-bed in-patient adult acute mental health hospital, located in south Liverpool. The building comprises 4 wards, a S136 suite, an assessment unit, and share therapies provision across. It replaces dated dormitory wards; 3 from an 1980s building which had timetabled garden access, and one from a Victorian Terraced House, both of which were no longer fit for purpose. Nestled in a leafy site in south Liverpool, the hospital features distinctive ward typology to respond to the clinical brief. The design was co-produced with service users and staff, while being mindful of its green, heritage site context. Pioneering measures include multiple gardens per ward to maximise the use of outside space to deliver a calming environment that can be freely accessed; an immersive suite to utilise new technologies for therapies; and technical detailing that supports the Trust’s ‘No Force First’ policy. The building is highly sustainable, with a fully electric energy supply, an extensive photovoltaic array, backed up by excellent U-values in the building fabric. The talk will cover several themes pertinent to mental healthcare design in Ireland: -The design process-how a sense of healing space was delivered and how quality detailing was achieved -How a complex sloping site was addressed in a safe manner for service users – How rising acuities during the project’s development has informed the design – Key project stats for to benchmark -How the funding journey impacted on the project – The project is the fifth latest in a series of new-build projects by Mersey Care, including Aspen Wood, and Hartley Hospital.