By ROBERT GIBSON rgibson@cngroup.co.uk

Last updated at 12:31, Thursday, 13 December 2012

PRUDHOE’S flagship mental health facility, Ferndene, has gained a national award.

The £27m development, which provides care for children and young people, won the Good Corporate Citizenship category of the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards.

Over 1,000 entries were received, with 155 organisations being shortlisted for just 19 awards, the winners of which were announced at a ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Ferndene, which is run by the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, was praised for establishing a young people’s design group that was heavily involved in the design and build of the facility, and for appointing an ecological consultant to achieve a BREEM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) “excellent” rating.

The facility was also described as “stand out example” of service user engagement, offering integrated care that strengthened young people’s links with the community.

Natural daylight and ventilation were maximised in a sustainable design, and it was noted how the construction programme left the removal of an existing roof until the colonies of bats there had gone off to mate.

The latest accolade comes after Ferndene won a Building Better Healthcare Award in the best use of the arts category.

It was one of six projects shortlisted in the section, with judges reporting: “Ferndene shows a wonderful use of art in a facility for young people which is age appropriate and where the artwork is really integrated well into the building.”

First published at 07:41, Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk