Co-producing dementia-friendly confusion beds at Spinneyfields
"It was reassuring to be asked what would help someone who is confused to feel calmer and safer. Seeing those ideas reflected on the ward made a real difference."
- Family member and carer of a patient with dementia at Spinneyfields.
It's Co-production Week and a powerful example of co production in action is the development of dementia friendly confusion beds at Spinneyfields in Rushden. Spinneyfields provides physical rehabilitation for adult patients following an acute illness or a deterioration of a long-term condition that needs community hospital inpatient level treatment and support.
The project aimed to improve the inpatient environment for people experiencing confusion, delirium or cognitive impairment by working closely with people with lived experience, carers, families, staff and community partners. The goal was to create an environment that encourages patients and those who care for them to feel welcomed, looked after and cared for in a safe, personalised environment that meets individual care needs.
Who was involved?
The project involved a broad and diverse group of people, including:
- Patients with lived experience of inpatient care
- Families and carers
- Inpatient nursing and service staff
- Dementia strategy partners and specialist teams
- Pathway colleagues across Adult Community Services
- The University of Northampton
- Local community organisations and volunteers
- This broad range of voices ensured the project reflected both professional expertise and real life experience.
- How was co production used?
Co production was used throughout the project to gather insight, shape ideas and inform decision making. A structured but flexible approach was taken, including:
- Face to face conversations and coffee and chat sessions
- Questionnaires accessed both in person and via QR codes
- Working group meetings bringing together staff, partners and stakeholders
These methods helped identify what mattered most to people using the service and how the environment could better support orientation, dignity and wellbeing.
What changed and how did co production help?
The project led to several meaningful improvements at Spinneyfields, including:
- Dementia friendly décor and colour schemes
- Improved signage and navigation help
- A new sensory garden built to enhance wellbeing and outdoor access
- Strong community involvement, with donations of plants, materials and volunteer support
Co-production ensured these changes were rooted in real experiences, not assumptions. This helped the team focus on what genuinely improves comfort, reassurance and dignity for people experiencing confusion.
These improvements were delivered alongside fundraising and engagement with community organisations to maximise impact and sustainability. The sensory garden was built in conjunction with volunteers from David Wilson Homes Technical team along with Fusion Landscaping and facilities. Donations were received from local community organisations, businesses, staff and relatives.
What's next?
The project highlighted opportunities for future improvement, such as involving relatives and carers earlier and engaging with people recently discharged as well as current inpatients.
Learnings from Spinneyfields are already influencing other areas, including Specialist Palliative Care co production, where engagement colleagues are now involved earlier in the process. Spinneyfields will act as an impressive case study, with plans for an open day once the sensory garden is complete. This will help encourage wider partnership working and inspire similar improvements across other inpatient Trust sites.
Dawn Watts, Head of Service, Adult Community Inpatients said:
"This project showed the real value of meaningful co production. Listening to lived experience helped us focus on what truly matters, and the learning from Spinneyfields is already shaping how we approach future service improvement work."
Get involved
If you would like to get involved in co-production, either as a service user, carer, family member or a member of team NHFT, please contact:
- For adults: www.nhft.nhs.uk/involvement
- For children: www.nhft.nhs.uk/participation
By working together, we can shape care that feels calmer, kinder and truly built around the people who use it.