Refurbished Room at Glasgow hospital offers comfort for bereaved families

Parents who experience baby loss at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital will soon have access to a newly refurbished, quiet space to process difficult news and speak to medical teams – away from the hustle and bustle of the maternity unit.

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Working closely with the midwifery team, the Garden Room has been designed to be a private, comforting and supportive environment where families can take the time they need to start to process any unexpected news following an appointment or scan. Previously, the only space available for parents to use meant going back through the maternity ward, while the new facility has a separate entrance.

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Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity has managed the refurbishment of the room, with £10,000 in funding support from the HFD Charitable Foundation – the charitable arm of Scotland’s leading commercial property company. Designers have focused on colour, comfortable seating and soft furnishings to create a warm and peaceful atmosphere, aiming to make it feel less like a clinical setting.

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Estimates suggest that between 8-24% of clinically recognised pregnancies end in miscarriage in Scotland each year , with many more going unrecorded if hospital care is not required. For parents going through challenging times, the hope is that the Garden Room will offer a small amount of comfort.

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William McGowan, Head of Partnerships & Business Development at Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Providing a serene, safe space for couples going through a bereavement is just one element of the compassionate care that the hospital provides and it is great to be able to refresh the space and make it better suited for its purpose. We have a long-standing relationship with the HFD Charitable Foundation and we are thankful for the continued support.”

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Lauren McKenzie, trustee of the HFD Charitable Foundation, added: “We’re proud to support Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity with the refurbishment of the Garden Room, offering essential comfort to families during exceptionally challenging times. The foundation was established to support good causes in the communities HFD operates in and this is a charity close to the hearts of our employees.”

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[1] Source: Scottish Public Health Observatory