A new style of signage has been installed at Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre (CCHC) to make it easier for patients to get around and encourage them to be more active.

The signs, which have initially been installed in Ward 1, are brightly coloured with a mixture of pictures and directions. Each sign has a different colour to highlight different locations. A number also have distances marked on them to encourage patients to stay mobile and take regular exercise as part of their rehabilitation.

New, clearer signage has also been added to the entrance of the ward to improve signposting for patients and visitors.

The new initiative aims to create a less clinical feel in the ward and help patients to achieve their rehabilitation goals.  It also encourages patients to get up, dressed and move around more rather than staying in bed.

Many patients who have a longer stay in hospital can lose their confidence, their sense of identity and their independence but research shows that being active can support recovery as well as improve a person’s mental health and wellbeing.

NHS Forth Valley, Senior Charge Nurse, Julie Kennedy said: “By getting up, dressed and moving, patients can speed up their recovery, get home sooner and maintain their normal routines.

“The new signs are easy to read and having different distances on them is great for setting goals. The patients can see how far it is to get to the dining room, for example, and just walking that distance can give them a real sense of achievement.”

The signage is currently in place in Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre and, if successful, there are plans to roll it out to other hospital wards across Forth Valley