A multi-disciplinary child development centre at Inverclyde Royal Hospital has been transformed thanks to a £36,000 upgrade funded by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.
The Skylark Centre, which is used by young people aged 0-18 for a variety of reasons, has been given a colourful new look to make it a friendly and welcoming environment for patients and their families.
The upgrade was carried out in the centre’s waiting area and neurodevelopment assessment area.
It includes a bright mural installed on the wall of the waiting area and two images donated by local photographers Jamie Donnelly and Neil Barr of The French Memorial in Greenock and The Cloch Lighthouse in Gourock.
There is also a TV for older children and teenagers and brand new furniture to make the area feel more relaxing and less clinical.
Around 800 children per year will benefit from the transformation, with services delivered at the Skylark Centre also including paediatrics, physiotherapy, acute clinics, community clinics, rheumatology, diabetes and dieticians.
An additional £9,500 has been provided by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity to procure sensory equipment for the centre for children with additional sensory needs in the waiting room or assessment area.
Staff at the Skylark Centre worked with Grosvenor to design and create the vision, which was then funded by the charity.
Gemma McGregor, Clinical Nurse Specialist at Inverclyde Royal Hospital, told how the waiting and assessment areas are now “vibrant and versatile”.
She said: “The final design is beyond all our expectations. It is so bright and has numerous areas to appeal to different ages.
“The modern and colourful furniture will appeal to parents and children alike.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support from Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. The funding provided has vastly improved these areas for children attending the Skylark Centre.”
Kirsten Watson, CEO at Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “The enhancements at the Skylark Centre, made possible thanks to our fantastic donors and fundraisers, have produced an environment that is empathic, calming, and welcoming.
“This transformation reaffirms Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity’s commitment to providing first-class facilities for children across the west of Scotland.”
Greenock-based mum Jody Lyon, whose 10-year-old daughter Cassey has a rare condition called Johanson-Blizzard syndrome and attends the Skylark Centre regularly, said: “The changes to the waiting area have made it so bright and calming.
“Hospitals can be a scary place for children and having an area like this will help to relax them.”
