Rainbow walkway unveiled outside Emergency Department at Queen's Hospital Burton
A new rainbow canopy has been erected outside the entrance to the Emergency Department at Queen’s Hospital Burton.
The canopy, which was installed over the course of the last few weeks, will provide shelter for those arriving into the department and to ambulance staff as they assist patients into the unit.
It is the second rainbow installation at our Burton site, after the unveiling of a rainbow walkway on the atrium at the main entrance featuring the Pride progress colours, which projects a rainbow on the path leading into the hospital. The rainbow installations lead on from UHDB campaigns to celebrate diversity and promote inclusion at the Trust and are a permanent show of support for our LGBTQIA+ community who work at and attend our hospitals.
Rainbow matting is also in place at the entrances of Royal Derby Hospital, Samuel Johnson Community Hospital, Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital and Florence Nightingale Community Hospital featuring the colours of the Pride progress flag; welcoming all who walk through the doors.
Alison Wadlow, Matron for the Emergency Department, said: “The rainbow glass looks absolutely amazing and serves as a fitting reminder to all of our support and solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ colleagues and communities. It provides a really welcoming, colourful and friendly entrance to our department and it’s gone down really well with staff and patients alike.”
Dan Walton-Ashmore, Co-Chair of UHDB's LGBTQIA+ Network, said: “Having the rainbow roads across our sites creates a permanent reminder of how far we have come, not only as an organisation, but as a society. This new rainbow walkway being in another prominent and busy place at the entrance of Burton’ Emergency Department reiterates the firm stance that our Trust is taking to truly make UHDB an inclusive place for all.”
The design and installation of the canopy was managed by UHDB’s Capital Projects Team, working in partnership with A & S Landscapes, who ensured the work was carried out safely and to the highest of standards.
Gavin Boyle, Chief Executive, said: “One of our values as an organisation is Openness, and part of openness is inclusivity and being open to difference. UHDB is a place that welcomes everybody, where everyone should feel comfortable to be themselves, and this new walkway in addition to the existing ones are a celebration of that, in this particular case for our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. I am proud of the work that all of our staff networks, including our LGBTQIA+ Network, are doing to ensure that we become a truly inclusive place to work where everyone can bring their whole self to work.”