UK Hospital uses printed wallpaper to create a healing environment for young patients

While stories like this are by no means ‘new’, it does illustrate how print is part of our everyday lives in so many gratifying ways. In October of 2015, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital of Liverpool, England relocated to a new building. The hospital had been in the same location as part of the Children’s Health Park for over 100 years. Amanda Rees, Clinical Research Facility Operations Manager for the hospital, was looking to create a less clinical environment for her patients and to make their time at the new hospital much more relaxing.
She was made aware of a new printable wall covering – HP PVC-free Durable Smooth Wall Paper – that’s certified environmentally safe for use in hospitals and other sensitive environments. It’s also Type II Compliant for durability in an environment subject to intense wear and tear. Odourless, and with multiple environmental certifications, it ended up being the ideal solution to produce custom wall murals with images chosen by the children themselves, in keeping with the overall design theme of nature. “The installation of the custom wall murals had to go on while the hospital was in use and we felt confident that it was safe and odourless, so as not to affect the patients during installation,” said Rees.
Colour Create of Liverpool printed the wallpaper on an HP Latex 360 Printer, after trying several different wall-covering options. The company added that the output was scratch-resistant and tear-resistant and goes on with common adhesives. The wall mural project at Alder Hey was a success for all involved – the hospital administration, the printer and installers. But most importantly, it helped the children of Alder Hey who now spend their difficult times in a more uplifting, healthy environment intended to promote an attitude of healing and optimism.