Blossomwood
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Location: Sutton in Ashfield
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Sector: Health
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Service: Regional Building
Awarded to Tilbury Douglas through the P22 DfE Framework, this project supported Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s wider strategy to eradicate dormitory accommodation and create a centre of excellence for Mental Health Services for Older People (MHSOP).
The existing facility comprised four wards, including Amber and Kingsley, which no longer reflected modern clinical best practice or the high standards of care the Trust aspired to provide.
Delivered in two carefully planned phases, the project combined refurbishment works with targeted new build extensions. Kingsley Ward was relocated to a refurbished ground floor ward, providing 18 single en suite bedrooms within a secure mixed ward. Amber Ward was transformed into a low stimulus environment, allowing patients with dementia and functional mental health conditions to be cared for separately.
A new dementia ward was also constructed, providing 18 en suite bedrooms, secure outdoor access and flexible spaces designed to enhance privacy, dignity, wellbeing and therapeutic care.
A key focus of the design is on anti ligature measures, ensuring that all fixtures, fittings, and finishes minimise risk while maintaining a non institutional, supportive atmosphere. These principles have been applied throughout patient areas, bathrooms, and communal spaces to enhance safety without compromising comfort or dignity.
The scheme also adopts dementia friendly design principles, including clear wayfinding, balanced colour contrasts, appropriate lighting levels, and familiar material choices. These elements work together to reduce confusion, anxiety, and agitation among patients, while promoting independence and ease of movement within the ward environment.
At a glance...
£30.5m
Project value
September 2025
Completion date
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Customer
Innovation and technical excellence
Innovation was at the heart of the project, with the team working collaboratively alongside Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Vision Joinery to develop a bespoke dementia friendly en suite door solution.
Standard products available on the market did not fully meet the Trust’s requirements, so a new timber “saloon-style” door was designed specifically for the scheme. The solution achieved the required anti ligature and anti entrapment standards while remaining suitable for patients living with dementia. During development, the original timber doors proved too heavy, prompting the team to engineer a lightweight alternative that maintained the same robust safety performance without compromising usability.
Colour selection also formed a key part of the design, supporting patient wayfinding by clearly distinguishing toilet facilities and helping to reduce confusion and anxiety. The innovative solution was designed, tested and signed off in partnership with the Trust and is now set to be adopted across future dementia care projects within Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Community and social impact
The project saw a social value return on investment of £6.7m (43%).
As part of our give a day of your time (GADOYT) initiative, the team volunteered to transform an existing staff courtyard into an attractive outdoor space, complete with new planting, providing hospital staff with a welcoming area to rest and recharge.
The project also created meaningful employment opportunities, with agency team member Andre Murray being offered a permanent role in recognition of his contribution and commitment. Investing in future talent was another key focus, with a T Level student gaining valuable hands-on experience on site, alongside multiple apprenticeship opportunities delivered through the supply chain. These initiatives supported skills development, career progression and local employment, leaving a legacy that extends beyond the completed building and into the communities it serves.
Delivery and performance
With active hospital departments adjacent to the works, including Kings Mill and Millbrook Hospitals, maintaining safe access routes and minimising disruption were critical to project success. Dedicated access pathways were created through the site to allow hospital users, emergency vehicles, and staff to move safely between live areas while construction activities were underway.
Daily coordination meetings, detailed logistics planning, and clear signage ensured all movements of materials, equipment, and personnel were carefully managed. Construction activities were scheduled to avoid peak hospital times and sensitive clinical operations, reflecting our commitment to delivering safely, quietly, and efficiently within a live healthcare setting.
Security has been carefully integrated into the overall design, with access control, monitoring, and layout planning ensuring staff can maintain effective observation and rapid response while preserving patient privacy.
Upgrades to the existing fire compartmentation form a key part of the works, ensuring full compliance with current standards and enhancing overall safety across the refurbished areas.
Our partners
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Structural Engineer: Hexa Consulting
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Architect: David Morley Architects
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Framework: P22