Through the lens of patient experience
Posted September 15th 2011
Huntercombe Hospital Stafford, a specialist CAMHs service in the West Midlands, recently announced its results for a patient photography competition. Huntercombe Hospital Stafford has three separate units: an eating disorder unit, a psychiatric assessment unit and an acute psychiatric unit all treating patients from the ages of 12-18 years old.
Young people across all the units were asked to capture the hospital and its gardens from their perspective by utilising the art of photography. The results were excellent and Trevor Irwin, Hospital Manager spoke with pride about the services and what the patients had achieved:
“I am pleased to announce the results of the hospital photography competition, to see the young people so dedicated and enthused about getting the project right was great to see. The standard of the photography was excellent and as such we are hoping to have a series of the photographs displayed throughout the hospital for other patients, families and staff to benefit from. A job well done to all who got involved”
There were 5 categories of the competition:
Best photograph of the hospital building
Best photograph of the hospital grounds
Best photograph of the cats
Best photograph collage
Best photograph with the most personal meaning
A series of photographs made the shortlist and were awarded with gift vouchers to pay for additional ward based activities: the eating disorders unit will use their funds to purchase more textiles and art supplies; the assessment unit will put theirs towards a ward visit to the seaside and the acute unit are hoping to hold a” Pirates of the Caribbean” film night.
Bronwen Spence, Art Therapist at Huntercombe Hospital – Stafford said:
“ The young people involved in the photography project worked really hard in producing these images some of which were close to professional standard, I am really proud of the results they have all achieved, and aside from the vouchers, we are intending to use a selection of these photographs in our hospital marketing materials”
The marketing materials that will utilise the photography are currently in development and will be available later in the year.
A young person from the assessment unit said, ‘I really enjoyed taking part in the competition as we all got involved, I would like to do more, maybe see about doing a course or something when I get back home’