Improving our environments in Wigan
Our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services – also known as CAMHS – work with young people, up to the age of 18 years, with emotional or mental health difficulties, and their families.
In April 2021, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) took over as the lead provider for CAMHS services in Wigan. GMMH has ambitions to deliver a building for these services which enables and supports all our teams to provide the best possible care and support to our young people.
Refurbishment to the building where these services are located will begin on Monday 9 January 2023 and will be completed within 12 weeks. There will be changes made to internal spaces to improve and enhance the environment, to include new lighting, ceilings, decoration, and flooring, opening staff office areas to provide open plan / hot desking staff space.
The young people who use the service have also been involved in the design for the refurbishment, providing their opinions on what they want to see in the building. Working with our teams, they identified landmarks in Wigan that they feel are important to display as artwork, such as Wigan Pier.
Our children and young people have also played an integral part in bringing gender neutral options as part of the facility design and management to the forefront of the refurbishment.
The newly refurbished building will transition away from the current clinical environment to a more welcoming and inviting atmosphere that young people can build affinity with. As part of their involvement in this refurbishment, colours were chosen by the young people who will use the rooms to make them softer and more relaxing.
There will also be increased floor space to enhance therapeutic spaces, increasing the number of appointment slots for young people and their families. In addition, it will enable the team to work with young people in an environment that facilitates healing.
An example of this is the development of a specially designed Sensory Room which will combine a range of stimuli to help young people develop and engage their senses. It will include lights, colours, sounds, sensory soft play resources and aromas, all used within a safe environment allowing the young person using it to explore and interact without risk.
Find out more about CAMHS in Wigan here: CAMHS Services in Wigan | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT (gmmh.nhs.uk)
