Policy for Amending or Altering Signage
Version / 1Name of responsible (ratifying) committee / Estates Utilisation Group
Date ratified / 20/03/2014
Document Manager (job title) / Development Team Project Manager
Date issued / 6th June 2014
Review date / 5th June 2019
Electronic location / Management Policies
Related Procedural Documents / DoH guidance document (efm WAYFINDING)
Key Words (to aid with searching) / Signage, Wayfinding, Maps
Version Tracking
Version / Date Ratified / Brief Summary of Changes / Author
CONTENTS
1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………..……Page 3, 4 & 5
2. Purpose……………………………………………………………………………………..… Page 6
3. Scope…………………………………………………………………………………………… Page 6
4. Definitions……………………………………………………………………………………. Page 6
5. Duties and responsibilities………………………………………………………………….Page 6
6. Process…………………………………………………………………………………………Page 7
7. Training requirements……………………………………………………………………….Page 7
8. References and associated documentation……………………………………………...Page 7
9. Equality impact statement…………………………………………………………………..Page 8
10. Monitoring compliance with procedural documents…………………………………...Page 9
QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
This policy must be followed in full when developing or reviewing and amending Trust procedural documents.
For quick reference the guide below is a summary of actions required. This does not negate the need for the document author and others involved in the process to be aware of and follow the detail of this policy. The quick reference can take the form of a list or a flow chart, if the latter would more easily explain the key issues within the body of the document
1. The Trust Wayfinding strategy was developed to reflect relevant guidance and is aimed at ensuring wayfinding for all patients and visitors from the site access point to the required department is kept as simple as possible.
2. The review of every signage change request will ensure that consistency of terminology exists throughout all Patient Communications.
1. INTRODUCTION
The Wayfinding strategy for Queen Alexandra Hospital was developed to reflect relevant guidance and is aimed at ensuring wayfinding for all patients and visitors from the site access point to the required department is kept as simple as possible. QAH-
1.1 Background
· This paper provides an overview of the wayfinding strategy for the Queen Alexandra Hospital.
· This strategy was developed to reflect relevant guidance and is aimed at ensuring wayfinding for all patients and visitors from the site access point to the required department is kept as simple as possible.
· Following a review by the Clinical Redesign Group (CRG) a number of potential refinements to the strategy were made.
· The QAH Redevelopment Committee endorsed the Wayfinding Strategy
1.2 Wayfinding Strategy
1.2.1 Site layout
This consists of three vehicular access routes (‘Gates’), known as:
· Main Entrance – directly off the A27
· East Gate – the first ‘gate’ directly off Southwick Hill Road (previously known as the Ambulance Entrance).
· Southwick Gate- the second ‘gate’ directly off Southwick Hill Road (previously known as the Main Entrance.
· 1.2.2 Site simplification
The signage at each vehicular access point is minimal but decisive. It predominately gives directions to the Car Parking areas:
· Main Entrance Car Park- the multi-storey car park located at the main entrance.
· North Car Park- this is the car park situated directly opposite the North Entrance.
· East Car Park- this is the ground and first level parking area that has been designated for “Staff Only”
All of the site access points (vehicular and non-vehicular) also show pedestrian and cycle routes to all entrances and peripheral buildings.
Each car park has signature showing pedestrian routes to every entrance to the Hospital building together with a directory of the departments that can be accessed from each entrance.
Disabled parking is provided within each car park and adjacent to each entrance to the Hospital.
The entrances to the Hospital (‘Entrances’) that are sign posted from the car parks are:
· Main Entrance
· North Entrance
· East Entrance
· Emergency Department Entrance
· Eye Entrance
Each road within the site is named and has a traditional ‘highways’ type road sign
(Nightingale; Hunter; Harvey; Curie; Simpson; Pasteur and Lister).
· 1.2.3 Terminology and Abbreviations
The list of approved department titles must be used consistently throughout all Trust
Communications (written, verbal and electronic) with patients, visitors and staff. This
list will be distributed to all GP practices, Health Centres, Primary Care Trusts and
other organisations. (No alternatives should be used).
· 1.2.4 Getting to the site
All pre-visit information must identify the ‘Gate’ and ‘Entrance’ to be used by the
visitor. It will also indicate the nearest car park. This information will also include
a directional map (there is a translational touchscreen for non-English speaking
visitors at each entrance), detailing the public transport stops, pedestrian routes,
taxi drop-off and pick up points.
· 1.2.5 Inside the Hospital
The appropriate directory of departments is positioned within each Entrance, this
identifies the floor level of each department and the relevant ‘Lift Area’ to be used.
· Floor levels are labelled A to G
· The 6 lift areas are identified as ‘Lift Area 1’; ‘Lift Area 2’ etc and have been
explicitly sign posted.
All written and verbal instruction and guidance from staff and volunteers should use
the approach:
“Please follow the signs to Lift Area X, take the lift or stairs to level X and follow
the signs for department XXX”.
A directory of departments has been placed in every lift area, on every floor.
· 1.2.6 Ward Titles
All ‘wards’ are assigned a simple ward title:
§ The retained estate wards are identified as D1 to D4, E1 to E4, F1 to F4, G1 to G4
§ The renal wards have been renumbered G6 to G10
§ The Private Patient wards is identified as G5
§ The oncology wards are F5, F6 and F7
§ Critical care is E5
§ Respiratory high care is E6
§ All other wards will be E7, E8, E9, D5 to D9, C5 to C9, B5 to B9 and A5 to A9
2. PURPOSE
This Policy will put a process in place that will allow all signage changes and additions to be considered and ensure that every consequence of every change is considered and the appropriate actions taken. This will allow consistency across a number of different areas e.g. Patient communication, PAS, Website, Maps, Leaflets
3. SCOPE
This document applies to all parties considering any change to any aspect of the Hospital Signage
‘In the event of an infection outbreak, flu pandemic or major incident, the Trust recognises that it may not be possible to adhere to all aspects of this document. In such circumstances, staff should take advice from their manager and all possible action must be taken to maintain ongoing patient and staff safety’
4. DEFINITIONS
N/A
5. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
N/A
6. PROCESS
All signage change/addition requests should be e-mailed to the Development Team with “Signage” in the subject box
All requests will be collated periodically by the Development Team who will carry out pre-review checks on the request and identify any consequential works ( changes to Fire Alarm software, changes to services information etcetc ) and add comments in respect of the compliance, quantity and cost. This “review check” will be copied to the Patient Experience Team, the Outpatient Matron ( Clinical Support), the Communications team and the ICT team ( PAS Manager) for them to comment. The proposals and all comments will then be forwarded the Signage Review Group for their consideration.
The Signage Review Group will meet Quarterly and will be made up of
The Director of Corporate Affairs & Business Development
The Director of Redevelopment
The Head of Patient Experience
The Signage Review Group will consider all submissions and may request additional information, presentations etc before making their decision.
The Signage Review Group will “bundle” approved requests in order to achieve best value,
7. TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
N/A
8. REFERENCES AND ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION
Department of Health guidance note
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-directions-within-healthcare-buildings
9. EQUALITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust is committed to ensuring that, as far as is reasonably practicable, the way we provide services to the public and the way we treat our staff reflects their individual needs and does not discriminate against individuals or groups on any grounds.
This policy has been assessed accordingly
All policies must include this standard equality impact statement. However, when sending for ratification and publication, this must be accompanied by the full equality screening assessment tool. The assessment tool can be found on the Trust Intranet -> Policies -> Policy Documentation
Our valuesare the core of what Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust is and what we cherish. They are beliefs that manifest in the behaviours our employees display in the workplace.
Our Values were developed after listening to our staff. They bring the Trust closer to its vision to be the best hospital, providing the best care by the best people and ensure that our patients are at the centre of all we do.
We are committed to promoting a culture founded on these values which form the ‘heart’ of our Trust:
Respect and dignity
Quality of care
Working together
No waste
This policy should be read and implemented with the Trust Values in mind at all times.
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Policy for amending or altering signage Issue 1 06/06//2014 (Review date: 05/06/2019)
10. MONITORING COMPLIANCE WITH PROCEDURAL DOCUMENTS
Minimum requirement to be monitored / Lead / Tool / Frequency of Report of Compliance / Reporting arrangements / Lead(s) for acting on RecommendationsVisual Inspection of signs / Project Manager / Observation / Quarterly / Policy audit report to: Estates Utilisation Group / Director of Redevelopment
Check for guidance updates / Project Manager / Review DoH revisions / Annual / Policy audit report to: Estates Utilisation Group / Director of Redevelopment
This document will be monitored to ensure it is effective and to assurance compliance.
The effectiveness in practice of all procedural documents should be routinely monitored (audited) to ensure the document objectives are being achieved. The process for how the monitoring will be performed should be included in the procedural document, using the template above.
The details of the monitoring to be considered include:
· The aspects of the procedural document to be monitored: identify standards or key performance indicators (KPIs);
· The lead for ensuring the audit is undertaken
· The tool to be used for monitoring e.g. spot checks, observation audit, data collection;
· Frequency of the monitoring e.g. quarterly, annually;
· The reporting arrangements i.e. the committee or group who will be responsible for receiving the results and taking action as required. In most circumstances this will be the committee which ratified the document. The template for the policy audit report can be found on the Trust Intranet Trust Intranet -> Policies -> Policy Documentation
· The lead(s) for acting on any recommendations necessary.
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Policy for amending or altering signage Issue 1 06/06//2014 (Review date: 05/06/2019)