Amongst all the grim news ....

The Astley Ainslie Hospital near where I live in Edinburgh was created for these very reasons. It allowed people from the crowded tenements of the city to recover in low level pavilions surrounded by trees and beautiful green space. Of course this was before the discovery of antibiotics when there was no cure for devasting illnesses like tuberculosis. It was created however because of the belief by influential and pioneering medical professionals in the city that such surroundings helped recovery. It has remained in use to this day for rehabilitation and other medical services. As the grounds are open to the public, it is also a community resource and a green heart to its surrounding area.
Now it is being sold off by the Scottish NHS and will be redeveloped. As it is in a desirable area of the city, this will be for dense development of very expensive housing. Modern medical science is extremely effective but people spend very short periods in hospitals which are not calming or restful environments and are turned out into the community often with very little care. This is a large site which can never be reclaimed and from being a resource for the population of the city as a whole will become a privileged area for a few.

The hospital I was in when I had my knees replaced was an old, mainly timber building. and for things like post operative x rays you had to be wheeled out of the ward and along open air walk ways to the relevant department. It was wonderful getting out in the open air, even if only for a few minutes.

Reading this l wondered whatever happened to Convalescent Homes?

Remember them as a child where people with TB and other long term illnesses went to heal and recuperate.

Fresh air often in the countryside and on the coast.

I hope they can show some benefits in terms of recovery time, a long stay on ITU can be so traumatic & it would be lovely if this can be rolled out to most units.
It was lovely seeing that first patient at St Georges enjoying the new garden.

I was so happy to see this. I was a nurse for 40 years. The first 20 or so, I was a Sister on ICU.
Our lead consultant was an anaesthetist. He was extremely cutting edge. Even though we were “only” a district general hospital (Sefton General Liverpool) he used to go back and forth to the USA to hone the latest techniques. He encouraged us to push the patients beds out into the small garden area between the wards so they could feel the sun, training all the wires and tubes. This was 1976. God Bless Dr Anthony Gilbertson.

Menopauselbitch

Years ago patients were sent for respite at the seaside.

I used to do this for patients.... I was a hospital social worker then. The hospital trust maintained a convalescent home in a seaside town. It was free along with the transport. Women having hysterectomy especially epild go there for 2 weeks afterwards .... how times have changed!!!

Several years ago my sister in law actually died in a hospice garden. It was routine for the staff to wheel out those patients who wished, on their beds, into the beautiful garden along with any necessary equipment.
She had always been a keen gardener and, during her relatively short time at the hospice, always said yes when this was offered. As luck would have it her immediate family was visiting at the time, and all said what a wonderful death it been, quite sudden but very, very peaceful.

smashing idea years ago it was well known to put folk out in their beds for fresh air. This was particularly practised in TB hospitals.

It is a beautiful place for those in intensive care! It must enable the patients to feel better and make progress! A visionary idea which reminds me of Maggie’s in our local large teaching hospital in Leeds!

I recall back in the mid 1950’s my mum was in a “TB” ward at our local hospital. The beds all faced out onto bi fold doors which opened out onto the rose gardens which were separated from the main hospital by a picket style fence .
I was able to see her with my dad from the edge of the gardens , I wasn’t allowed to have physical contact with her but could wave and talk to her from a distance which when you’re parted for seven months was so lovely to see her once a week if the weather was good .
I remember seeing Lady Mountbatten when she visited as children ( those like me visiting a parent ) were informed that a visit was going to take place and to be quiet and respectful. We had no idea who she was but watched as she stopped at each bed to speak to the patients. My mum told us afterwards that she asked if her health was improving and how long she had been in the hospital . I thought it was wonderful that she had been asked by a relative of the Queen how she was feeling… 70 years on I still remember that day in 1956 !!!

MT62 Inspite of many signs indicating within whole hospital grounds No Smoking Allowed people sit, stand, all around the main entrance smoking or vaping.
A recent addition to the hospital (main one for County) is a National Treatment Centre for Orthopaedics. I was tgere last year for an x-ray and noticed a bit of open space (concrete) with some planters, seats and tables. Rather think it was for staff taking a break but certainly not what would be called a garden. There is a Hospice on the grounds, well hidden, and I'd hope there was a garden there, but.....concrete seems to prevail.

Wonderful Thread. Thanks Luckygirl.

It's a wonderful idea. I was kept in overnight in hospital a couple of weeks ago and even in that short time felt hemmed in and strange.

It will be so refreshing for people who have to stay in.

Hope your son is doing OK, Primrose 53. My daughter had chemo last year - not much fun for anyone! The unit where she was had a lovely little garden where I spent a lot of time waiting to take her home etc. So important for everyone's mental and physical health to have some garden space - lovely to hear that hospitals provide it when they can.

Weirdly, although our local hospital has lovely gardens 'within/outwith' the buildings, I have never seen anyone in them! Perhaps it's because of the Scottish weather. Brrrr

Ours aren’t allowed near the hospital entrance there’s a smoking shelter near the car park and to be honest I ve rarely seen more than one or two in it But if anyone lights within range of the entrance a tannoy says ‘no smoking near the hospital’ and repeats it until they sheepishly move away.

I saw on TV the lady being wheeled outside in her hospital bed. Have to admit my first thought was what if wasps or other insects land on her and she's unable to waft them away. Probably just me as have so many wasps etc around here.

They have to go outside under a canopy here.

Years ago patients were sent for respite at the seaside.

Awful isn’t it. Especially for those with lung issues walking through the smoke filled air.

MT62

Sounds lovely. Our hospital entrance is full of folk sat in wheelchairs smoking 😩

Oh dear .....

I'm another who saw this on the news yesterday evening.
What a wonderful place. The added bonus being, the patients have all the equipment to hand. It's a fully equipped outdoor ICU.
All paid for by donations too.
As someone up thread mentioned, the TB sanatoriums all had outdoor areas for patients. My late husband spent many years as a child and young adult in a sanitortium when he had TB. He remembers waking up with snow on his bed.

Sounds lovely. Our hospital entrance is full of folk sat in wheelchairs smoking 😩

HelterSkelter1

Best wishes Primrose 53. I am glad you have found a peaceful outdoors spot.
I hope the treatment goes well. Hard on you and him. I am glad the weather is cooler for you both and the other patients undergoing chemo.

Very supportive words HS. I echo them.

What a brilliant idea, a big well done to all involved.