Artists are being given the chance to enter a competition to have their work showcased in a busy waiting area at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital.
The competition is open to artists from across Basingstoke and north Hampshire, with the prize being the opportunity to have artwork on display for a year, alongside the artist’s details, in the waiting room of the Emergency Surgery Ambulatory Clinic at Basingstoke hospital.
The Emergency Surgery Ambulatory Clinic, which opened in December 2018, ensures that patients have better access to senior surgical doctors and nurses, reducing the time it takes for them to be assessed and a decision taken on their care and treatment.
Patients suitable for the unit are mainly those who may require surgery, but whose conditions can be quickly assessed, allowing a treatment plan to be put in place. This includes patients who potentially have conditions such as appendicitis, gallstones and kidney stones.
Patients can be referred directly by their GP or identified as suitable for the unit when they arrive in the emergency department. Once at the unit, patients are either examined straight away or, if more appropriate, they can return home and return for investigations or treatment at a suitable time.
Hayley Blandford, clinical matron for Ward C3 and the Emergency Surgery Ambulatory Clinic, said: “We wanted to brighten up our waiting area and could not think of better way to do that than by showcasing the work of a local artist. I’m really looking forward to seeing the entries and getting the winning artwork up in the waiting area.”
To enter the competition, email Hayley.Blandford@hhft.nhs.uk with a photograph of your chosen pieces, putting Art Competition Entry as the subject. Entries close on 31 October 2019, with the winners announced on 8 November.
Artwork can be any size and created using any type of paint. All subject matters will be considered, as long as it is appropriate for a hospital setting.
