For the past two years, dedicated clinical teams at Macclesfield Hospital have been pioneering a therapeutic initiative that transforms the recovery journey for critically ill patients.
By breaking through the traditional boundaries of intensive care, staff are safely taking ICU patients outdoors into the Ward 10 garden and the outpatient orthopaedic areas to experience the simple, restorative benefits of fresh air and sunlight.
The initiative was sparked by Critical Care Practice Educator Cristina Diaz Cid Robbie, who partnered with Ward Clerk Clare Ratcliffe.
Utilising Clare’s exceptionally strong professional relationships across the hospital network, the duo successfully secured permissions from multiple medical wards to coordinate and utilise various garden environments across the Macclesfield site.
Cristina said: "I am passionate about the benefits of sunlight, fresh air, and nature.
“These three basic gifts are often taken for granted, becoming a luxury if you are a critical care patient. For this reason, myself and the rest of the team plan, when possible, to take our patients outdoors.
"I feel grateful to be in a position where I can encourage and support our patients, families, and staff into taking patients outside.
“We have done this for a while, using the resources we have and reinventing ways to give our patients those basic gifts.”
While providing a profoundly peaceful experience for patients and their families, moving an intensive care bedside into an outdoor environment is an incredibly complex clinical task.
It takes careful planning, risk checks, and close teamwork between doctors, nurses, physios, and matrons, with everyone trained in safe patient transfers.
Despite the challenge, the team has worked hard to make these outdoor visits a normal part of daily care.
ENDS
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