The Visitors’ Loo in Critical Care, University Hospital of Wales

During the pandemic, Daring to Dream was able to achieve the makeover of the Relatives’ Room and the Quiet Room in Critical Care.

Louise Lloyd, whose husband Greg sadly passed away in August 2022 got in touch with us later in 2022, to say: “I just want to thank your fantastic charity for providing a space that really supported us all when we spent 5 days on the Critical Care ward, University Hospital of Wales. As a very close family, up to 11 of us were present in the transformed Relatives’ Room on occasions.
During the most difficult week, we were so grateful to be in such a supportive space, close to my husband and be able to await news as opposed to being further away in the hospital with no privacy or worse still being miles away at home”.​

Through many conversations with Louise we were made aware of the need to also refurbish the ‘companion loo’ to the Relatives’ Room. The visitors’ loo is not only a practical and essential space but actually is a place for someone to have some personal time in.

Dr Julie Highfield, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Lead Psychologist for the ICU and MTC Psychology Team, University Hospital of Wales, said: “In the hustle and bustle of a busy intensive care unit, the loo can be a moment of sanctuary to gather your thoughts and right yourself. We are grateful to Daring to Dream and Louise Lloyd and her family and friends for helping that to become a reality for our visitors.”

Daring to Dream, together with the Critical Care Directorate have taken this project forward. We all express our thanks and good wishes to Louise and her family and friends, whose donations helped make the project possible.

On the attached video link you can now see the ‘no-longer-grim toilet’ in B3 corridor in Critical Care – the Visitors’ Loo that is the companion loo for the Relatives Room that Daring to Dream had already transformed a while ago.

It has a raised loo and combo sink, to improve accessibility (even though we were unable to achieve a DDA compliant loo in the space provided), a folding wall seat so that distressed or frail users can sit safely whilst taking time out, calming from their distress and a vanity unit to just check their appearance, once calmed and refreshed. Sunflowers were the favourite flowers of Louise’s husband.

This is not just a loo – this is a refuge.

• A place to be alone when feeling overwhelmed, distressed, or fearful.
• A place to cry in.
• A place to compose oneself in.
• A place to find more strength before heading out to continue to support other family members.