Acoustic management just the tonic for British healthcare

Acoustic engineering could prove to be the perfect prescription to improve Britain’s healthcare settings, according to a UK Businessman. Peter Timbrell, managing director of Workplace Consultancy Services, said acoustic engineering techniques in healthcare environments could be beneficial to staff and patients alike. Over the last few years, researchers have highlighted the impact of noise disruption in healthcare settings, ranging from patients’ rights to privacy to decreasing staff productivity and increased error rates. Timbrell said: “Conversations, televisions, telephones, medical equipment and procedures and mechanical and paging systems are just some of the sources that ensure noise is ever-present in most healthcare facilities. “That noise can contribute to stress experienced by patients, visitors and staff. It can also lead to elevated blood pressure, quickened heart rate, increased metabolism and sleep disruption in patients, as well as affecting the mood of staff.” According to Timbrell, noise has been shown to disrupt cognitive and problem-solving capabilities in healthy adults with staff in health settings finding it difficult to concentrate on their work in a noisy environment. He added that speech privacy, be it in a surgery reception area or in an examination room, is often limited with patients overhearing conversations, making them feel uncomfortable and less likely to discuss private matters with carers. “I hear a lot of people talking about the environment, sustainability and sustainable buildings,” he said. “What you will rarely hear is about environments we are creating for humans to inhabit. We specialise in adjusting environments to make them as comfortable and practical as possible.” Derby-based Workplace Consultancy’s division, Elite Commercial Interiors, specialises in interior design, commercial furniture, complete office renovation, and a key element of this is acoustic engineering. Its applications include clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, government and healthcare organisations, medical labs and doctors’ and dentists’ surgeries. Acoustic engineering includes three elements: • Sound absorption using filler in walls or dense panels; • Sound blocking via screens which aren’t glass or reflective, and, • Sound masking with speakers from the ceiling. Timbrell said the speakers can be configured to form specific shaped zones within a working environment. He added: “By shaping sound inside a healthcare building, staff disruption is minimised and customer privacy is preserved in a very effective way. By managing the acoustics of a healthcare environment we can create a more comfortable workspace for staff while simultaneously giving patients the peace of mind that their confidential conversations, however inadvertently, won’t be overheard by others. It’s a win, win situation for all concerned.” - ENDS -

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