In a quiet corner of the new Supportive and Palliative Care Unit coming to Westmead Hospital will sit a special space open to all.
The multi-faith room will be a sanctuary where belief, reflection, and solace intertwine to support consumers and their families during a difficult journey.
Dr Sally Greenaway, WSLHD’s Director of Supportive and Palliative Care, said the space will support all religious and spiritual practices and extend as a place for stillness and has been purposely designed for comfort, inclusion, faith and spiritual reflection.
“We have learned so much over the years from our patients and families about what really matters when receiving care during the last year of life, especially from our recent ‘two way learning’ work with our communities and Western Sydney University.
Addressing faith and spiritual needs is crucial for holistic patient care, offering comfort, meaning and support which can improve quality of life and facilitate a dignified end-of-life experience.”
Dr Sally Greenaway
Monica Latanik, Multicultural Health Services Manager, has been involved in the design of the Supportive and Palliative Care Unit from the beginning.
“We wanted to bring a room into the space that would cater for our diverse western Sydney population. We have people of all backgrounds and religions and it’s so important to provide a respectful space, especially throughout a supportive and palliative care journey.
“Our multicultural health team works very closely with many cultural and religious groups across the catchment. Supporting their cultural safety and needs is a key part of our service.
“As part of the design process we (as the whole Schematic and Detailed Design Project User Group that was involved in the discussions) drew on learnings from previous projects and our diverse knowledge, experiences insights for the requirements of a multi-faith room,” Monica said.
Michael Deal, the Westmead Hospital Chaplain also participated in the project design process, he noted the importance of being inclusive of all people.
“I found the design project user group, comprised of clinicians, staff, consumers, religious, multicultural, and Aboriginal representatives, to be very mindful of inclusion of all people.
“We agreed that the space would be flexible and inclusive – a space that would be welcoming, friendly and frequently used by people of different religious and/or cultural practices.”