Leeds Children’s Hospital urges children and young people to help with new design

Children and young people across Leeds and the wider region are invited to get creative in an exciting competition that seeks their ideas on the design - whether they have been a patient or not.

The competition – Daring Designers – is open to anyone aged 18 years or under.

It is asking children and young people to draw, paint, model or use whatever materials they like to share their ideas on what the new Leeds Children’s Hospital should include in its design to make sure it is the best environment possible for patients and families.

The new Leeds Children’s Hospital, along with a new adults’ hospital is part of a five-year programme of development at Leeds General Infirmary known as Hospitals of the Future.

Leeds City Council granted permission for the Trust’s Outline Planning Application for the new hospitals in November 2019 and work to prepare the site for building begins this year.

Over the next few weeks, the Trust is preparing a Design Brief for the hospitals that will cover everything that needs to be considered in the design of the new hospital buildings. This will include what is needed in the clinical spaces, the hospital environment, the use of digital and new technologies, how patients will find their way around and the materials that will be used inside and out.

As part of the design process, the Trust is very keen to hear from children and young people, including current and former patients and their families on how Leeds Children’s Hospital could be improved in the future.

Michael Richards, Consultant Paediatric Haematologist and Clinical Director of Leeds Children’s Hospital said: “It’s vital that our new Leeds Children’s Hospital is built around the needs of children, young people and their families.’

‘Their ideas and views on what they like and dislike in the current hospital, how they would change it and their vision for an ideal Leeds Children’s Hospital in the future will help to shape our Design Brief. Every entry will help us to understand what really matters to children and young people in their new hospital so we can ensure it is designed to deliver the best possible care and experience for our patients and families.”

Further details on the competition and a short survey seeking views on what should be part of the new Leeds Children’s Hospital design can be found at: https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/daring-designers-competition

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