Mental Healthcare Facilities Design: 3 Key Goals and 7 Considerations

Mental health facility design is a critical component of patient care that can significantly influence the mental well-being of patients and the overall treatment efficacy.   

A strategic approach to the design process is essential to address the service users' basic needs for safety, security and comfort. From interior design to furniture selection, each aspect contributes to a supportive environment for individuals dealing with mental health conditions. 

 Here are the important goals and considerations that need to be kept in mind when designing your healthcare facility to build patients an optimal healing space.  

3 Goals to achieve when designing Mental Healthcare Facilities 

Throughout the entire design process of mental healthcare facility projects, there are three essential design objectives that should be consistently borne in mind and prioritised:  

Support Recovery 

 Creating an environment that encourages healing and recovery is the primary goal of mental health facilities. This can be achieved by incorporating evidence-based design principles that enhance overall mental well-being.  

 To promote positive feelings of relaxation, stress reduction, and emotional comfort, elements like nature-inspired designs or familiar designs that patients could associate with home and comfort should be integrated into the interior.  

Ensure Residents' Safety and Security 

 The design should prioritise the safety and security of patients, staff, and visitors throughout the facility. So when designing spaces in your facility, conduct thorough risk assessments to identify and minimise potential hazards that could lead to self-harm or harm to others.  

 Additionally, it’s also recommended to implement robust safety design, including appropriate choice of materials, fixtures, and fittings to effectively reduce any potential dangers. 

Address Distinct Needs of Different Patients 

 It is crucial to recognise and accommodate the diverse and unique needs of patients in mental healthcare facilities. Each individual may have specific preferences and sensitivities and granting them a degree of control over their environment can significantly aid in their comfort and treatment.  

7 Mental healthcare facilities design considerations 

 In order to achieve these goals, there are seven considerations that must be taken into account when selecting the most suitable heating system for your mental healthcare facility during the design process: 

Safe Surface Temperature 

The ideal heating system for a mental healthcare facility must be capable of maintaining a safe surface temperature while in operation to prevent accidental burns or injuries to patients, staff, or visitors. It should also be equipped with effective temperature controls to regulate surface heat and prevent any potential issues related to overheating.    

Efficient Output 

 Select heating systems that offer efficient and consistent heat output, creating a comfortable and stable environment. Aside from that, the systems should be easily adjustable to cater to varying temperature requirements in different areas, promoting optimal user comfort.    

Hygiene & Ease of Maintenance 

 Heating system for mental healthcare facilities needs to be easy to maintain, service, and clean to minimise downtime and disruptions to patient care.   

Opt for designs with accessible features, such as full drop-down or removable doors, providing easy access for cleaning to maintain hygiene and heating efficiency in all environments. It simplifies cleaning and maintenance tasks for facility management staff, contributing to a cleaner and more hygienic environment for patients.  

Anti-Microbial Properties  

Infection control is a critical aspect that should never be overlooked in healthcare settings,  especially in mental health facilities where behavioural issues, like dirty protesting, underscore hygiene's significance.  

Consider selecting heating systems with anti-microbial coatings like the Deepclean and Deepclean extra range treated with BioCote® antimicrobial protection, which provides an effective and long-lasting solution to combatting a wide range of bacteria, including MRSA and E.coli, by up to 99.99.  

Safety Features  

 Incorporate design elements such as rounded corners and blunt edges to minimise the risk of cuts and injuries in case of trips and falls. You'll also need to ensure that heating installations are securely fastened and mounted to walls or floors with internal fixings to protect against non-permitted access, removal or manipulation.  

To further enhance safety, choose heating systems with anti-ligature features like IP3X-rated grilles (with 2mm holes at 4mm centres) built in. This prevents items from being passed through the casing and eliminates potential ligature points.   

User’s Mental Wellbeing  

 Empowering service users to adjust their environment fosters a sense of control, promoting a calmer and more serene atmosphere within the facility.  Opt for options that are not obtrusive to the environment and incorporate design elements that resonate with the service users, offering familiarity, comfort, and a sense of security.   

Strong Material and Robust Design  

 Due to the potential for challenging behaviours in mental healthcare settings, choose heating solutions made from robust and durable materials, such as 1.5-2mm Zintec Steel or Magnellis Steel for wet rooms. These materials can better withstand wear and tear, reducing the need for frequent replacements and ensuring the heating system's long-term functionality.   

On top of that, heating systems with tamper-resistant designs offer an additional layer of security by preventing patients from accessing sensitive heating components. This not only safeguards the well-being of patients but also preserves the integrity of the system. 

Support Your Mental Healthcare Facilities Design With DeepClean Extra  

 DeepClean Extra is a specialist range of heating solutions designed and engineered to minimise the risk of self-harm and for installation in secure environments, such as mental health facilities, prisons, SEN Schools, custody and remand units.  

Removing potential tamper opportunities and ligature points in locations such as these, are key considerations. The anti-ligature design incorporates IP3X-rated grilles tested by a UKAS-accredited laboratory and certified to protect against the ingress of objects greater than 2.5mm in diameter. Anti-ligature TRV kits are also available to allow service users to take control of their heating to increase comfort levels.  

Get in touch today and book a free consultation with one of our heating experts to discuss anti-ligature heating solutions for your facilities.