Pearson Lloyd design company has been entrusted by the Design Council and the Department for Health to revamp the appearance of A & E departments.

This multi facet design project aims to particularly include elements to improve patient awareness on hospitals’ system. For instance, coherent signage will be displayed explaining to patients what they should expect to happen from the point they check in to the hospital to their assessment and treatment stage. Also, screens will be fitted to give patients up-to-date understanding on the amount of cases the hospital is dealing with.

Pearson Lloyd co-founder Tom Lloyd says, ‘‘Research suggested that this damaging culture of interaction between staff and patients was often stimulated simply by patients’ lack of knowledge and understanding of how the system works, and what is likely to happen to them when in that system. Thus, improving people’s experiences of services helps to make them less violent or aggressive.’’

So far the results of Pearson Lloyd’s design work, which has been trialled within a Southampton and London trust proved promising. In fact research revealed that aggressive patient conduct had reduced by half. In addition, three- quarters of patients surveyed felt less frustrated whilst waiting to be examined following the redesign. Thus reflecting the importance communication through design can have on human behaviour toward services.