We wouldn’t hesitate to go back and use them again. I highly recommend A&S Landscape.
A&S Landscape was clearly the company to go with. They were accommodating and worked very well with us.
A&S Landscape was very professional and friendly. They followed our requests and kept me in the loop at all times.
Canopies for Healthcare Sites
For healthcare providers, the spaces that you have need to be practical for the work you do and the way you do it. Making indoor and outdoor spaces work for your team and your patients is so important to creating a positive environment where you can help people to the best of your ability. Canopies and building solutions can be used in many different ways within healthcare facilities, from covered walkways to ambulance shelters, sheltered outdoor areas for staff and patients to sit and eat and entryways with signage, to name just a few. At the end of the day, we want to help you create structures that enhance your offering and make life better for your staff and patients alike.
We’ve partnered with a number of healthcare facilities in the past to help them build spaces and facilities that are both flexible and cost-effective, allowing your outdoor spaces to achieve their full potential. We also have a wealth of in-depth experience in the design and briefing of building projects, as well as installation procedures that trigger as little disruption as possible, and avoid inconveniencing your staff and patients wherever we can. To find out more about how we can help improve your buildings and outdoor spaces, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly and experienced team who will be happy to discuss our options for the healthcare sector with you.
What is a Hospital Canopy?
Canopies have many uses at hospitals and healthcare sites. They can protect patients as they walk from the car park to the entrance. Shelters can also be fitted over ambulance loading bays. Staff can make use of a secure cycle shelter too. Entrance canopies can be added to create a covered area at the front of the building.
Whether you are interested in a tensile canopy system or a robust and hard-wearing steel and polycarbonate canopy, be rest assured that our years of experience, in-house design team and the utilisation of the highest quality materials means you will be in the safest of hands.
Listen to what our clients have said about working with us
Plas Meddyg Surgery
Queen's Hospital Burton
Clients
Healthcare Canopy Designs
Motiva Cantilever™ Leicester Royal Infirmary Add Bespoke Ambulance Bay Shelters
Motiva Linear™ Plas Meddyg Surgery in Denbighshire adds Entrance Canopy
Motiva Cantilever™ Colourful Entrance Canopy at Queen's Hospital
Maxima Sail™ Rotherham General Hospital Add Fabric Shade Sails
Motiva Linear™ Hafod y Gest Walkway Canopy
Motiva Linear™ Gateshead NHS Trust Straight Roof Shelter
Maxima Sail™ De Wint Care Home Shade Sails
Motiva Cantilever™ Countess of Chester Hospital in Cheshire Add Cantilever Canopy
The Benefits of Canopies for Healthcare Sites
- Keeps Your Patients & Residents Safe
In any healthcare setting, the safety of patients and residents is critical. Too much exposure to certain types of weather can pose a huge risk to those with underlying health conditions. High temperatures can affect people with asthma and heart conditions, the sun’s UV rays can increase the risk of skin cancer, and cold weather can be especially dangerous for senior citizens.
Canopies can help you to keep the people in your care protected from the health risks that weather poses.
Perhaps you have a patient in critical condition arriving at your hospital —an entrance canopy will keep them safe from any further harm that hot, cold or wet weather may cause. Maybe you have a patient with a sensitive health condition who is leaving your site —a covered walkway will keep them shaded and sheltered as they make their way to the car park. Or you might have long-term patients or residents who don’t want to be cooped up inside all the time— a shade sail will allow them to spend time outside and enjoy the fresh air while still remaining safe and dry, no matter the weather.
Thanks to our high-quality materials and smart, functional designs, our canopies provide maximum protection from all types of weather. Our Motiva™ canopies are made with unbreakable polycarbonate roofing which filters out those potentially dangerous UV rays from the sun. Meanwhile, our range of Maxima™ shelters give you the option of strong and durable shade cloth that offers 90-98 % UV protection, or high-strength PVC fabric that has both waterproof and UV-resistant properties.
Our canopies aren’t only for your patients and residents; all of their benefits can be enjoyed by staff and visitors, whether they’re walking between your site and the car park, dropping someone off, or relaxing outside. Furthermore, canopies —particularly covered walkways and entrance canopies— allow for safe transportation of medical equipment between buildings, wards, and car parks.
- Allows Your Patients & Residents to Safely Enjoy Outdoor Space
Giving the people in your care the opportunity to spend time outside and get fresh air is vital for their overall health, wellbeing, and recovery. Whether you’re creating an outdoor space for your patients/residents to eat, participate in light exercise or group activities, or simply relax, a covered area solution can improve their lives in more ways than you might realise.
Getting enough sunshine boosts the amount of vitamin D that our bodies produce, which is essential for strong and healthy bones, teeth, and muscles. Sunshine is also great for our mental health. Exposure to sunlight increases the brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin, which has been linked to improvements in mood and helping a person feel calm, happy, and focused. Low levels of serotonin are associated with major depression with seasonal patterns (formerly known as seasonal affective disorder), which is a form of depression triggered by the changing seasons
The fresh air that you get from spending time outside also offers many health benefits. Taking in clean, fresh oxygen improves blood pressure and heart health, which is especially beneficial for people with heart conditions; it strengthens the immune system as more oxygen helps our white blood cells to function properly in fighting and killing bacteria and germs; and it aids our digestive system, which is particularly helpful for people trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
Fresh air can also be a boon to our mental health and happiness. Like sunshine, the more clean oxygen we breathe in will increase the amount of serotonin that our brain produces, leading to an improved mood and reduced stress. Higher oxygen intake also results in greater brain functioning, improving concentration skills and providing us with higher energy levels.
By allowing your patients and residents to spend time outside and reap the health benefits of fresh air and sunlight in a safe manner, an outdoor canopy improves the level of care that you’re able to provide and, in turn, improves the lives of the people in your care.
- Enhances Your Healthcare Site
While our canopies can help to improve the level of care that you provide to your patients and residents, an added bonus of our covered area solutions is that they can also enhance your healthcare site.
Thanks to our smart and stylish designs, well-built structures and eye-catching colours, A&S Landscape’s fantastic range of high-quality canopies are sure to add a level of sophistication to your premises. Whether it’s a hospital, surgery, clinic or care home, our covered area solutions will impress everyone who visits your site while adding practical value to your property.
With a whole host of customisable options, from the size and materials to the finish and colours, our canopies can be tailored to suit your exact requirements and preferences. The solid steel framework can be galvanised only or have a full Dura-coat™ finish, which is where the steel is both galvanised and powder-coated for enhanced durability and appearance.
If you’ve chosen one of our trendy Maxima™ canopies, the fabric can be either from durable shade cloth or high-strength PVC material. Our sturdy Motiva™ canopies give you the option of either a clear or opal polycarbonate roof, along with polycarbonate or glass side panels and steelwork in a range of RAL colours, allowing you to pick a colour scheme that catches the eye while complements the rest of your site.
- Allows for Easy Navigation of Your Premises
Among the many optional extras that you can add to your canopy, such as side panels, doors, protective post pads, and downpipes and guttering, all of our canopies can accommodate signage. This allows you to clearly signpost entrances, hospital wards, car parking and ambulance or patient drop-off points, enabling people who visit your site to find their way around.
Look through some of our projects we have completed at healthcare sites
Leicester Royal Infirmary Adds Ambulance Bay Shelters
Leicester Royal Infirmary in Leicestershire wanted to protect both its staff and patients from the rain and weather elements. A modern shelter looked like the best solution, but they needed one that won’t be in the way of the crucial daily operations. The health centre also wanted the shelters to match the hospital’s existing architecture and allow easy access and exit for ambulances.
After we were contacted, we at A&S Landscape, designed and installed three Motiva Cantilever™ canopies. The shelters had smart features, and we made sure as required, they didn’t disturb workflow in any way. We used grey steel and opal polycarbonate roofing to give the designs a modern, simple look.
Once the project was complete, the staff could help patients move around the entrance without getting wet. The shelters impressed the entire team and allowed them to continue focusing on their important jobs instead of avoiding the unpredictable British weather.
Bright and Welcoming A&E Entrance Shelter Installed at Queen’s Hospital
Queen’s Hospital, located in Burton, wanted a colourful shelter installed at its A&E entrance. This shelter would not only protect both staff and patients from the weather conditions, but also show support for the LGBT+ community. So, the shelter needed to match the already existing rainbow walkway, while being large enough to accommodate several ambulances.
Our team got to work and designed a Motiva Cantilever™ canopy. We used a multicoloured roof to match the rainbow walkway and a white steel frame. The shelter was 40500mm x 4500mm in size, which means it was large enough for several ambulances as requested, while keeping the entrance dry.
Thanks to our experienced operations team, the installation was carried out smoothly without affecting the hospital’s activities. The staff loved the finished shelter and how more cheerful and welcoming the area now feels.
Rotherham General Hospital Adds Shade Sails to Support Staff Wellbeing
To further enhance staff wellbeing, Rotherham General Hospital decided to add new shelters to its wellbeing garden. They wanted shade sails that could cover the outdoor gym equipment and create rest areas from the sun, rain, and wind. The hospital also needed the sails to blend in with the space and make the area look calm.
To fulfil this request, we installed four Maxima Sail® canopies in both grey and green fabrics. This was done to match the natural setting.
The hospital was happy with how the shade sails turned out. Now, the staff have a more comfortable space to exercise, relax, or take a break outside.
It was very good service, excellent. I have already recommended A&S Landscape.
Technical Director - Rotherham General Hospital
View ProjectOur Featured Healthcare Site Canopy Project
New Care Home in Wales adds Covered Walkway
What was the project brief?
Completed in December 2018, Hafod y Gest Care Home in the town of Porthmadog, Wales, is a new-build care home for over 55s. The project was taken on and coordinated by the developers Anwyl Partnerships. The designated area for the two new buildings would house therapy suites, fitness rooms and communal areas for hobbies and activities. The new care home was considered a great addition to the community, and the expectation was that the new healthcare environment would give the future residents the best experience possible, in both quality of care and social activities.
This was to be a state-of-the-art building, with leading technology, and so it was important that the outside spaces weren’t ignored. It was decided to add a covered walkway canopy to the building, so the residents could walk around without being exposed to the weather. The final shelter would have to be built to the highest standards, and so Anwyl Partnerships called in the expert opinion of A&S Landscape. Introduced in the early stages of the new build, they played a vital role in the whole process, this included the initial design, manufacture and installation of a covered walkway.
What was our canopy solution?
The final covered walkway turned out to be an incredible 37m long! This is definitely one of the larger-scale canopies we have installed and was from our popular Motiva Linear™ range. The covering was wall-mounted to the existing buildings using wall brackets and designed to fit seamlessly with the overall aesthetics of the new-build.
The covered pathway is both stylish and modern. Yet, the canopy doesn’t just look the part, the build quality is superb. The opal polycarbonate roof filters out harmful UV rays, and the asymmetric shape gives excellent protection from the changeable weather conditions.
What was the result of their new canopy?
The residents of Hafod y Gest have really benefited from the new addition. With 37m of covered outdoor area, there is no limit to the amount of fresh air the residents can enjoy, and at what time of year too. Residents frequently sit outside under the canopy in the summer months, knowing they are doing so safely due to the UV protective quality of the opal roofing. They even have the option to sit outside when it’s raining, as the material is weatherproof.
Although the long-term benefits of this shelter will become ever-more apparent as time goes on, for now, it is proving to be the ideal place for the residents to relax and receive quality care later in life. All in all, residents would consider it an extremely nice place to not just stay but live.
The whole project has been great for the community too. Five new jobs were created for the build, as well as training for 12 apprentices. With an impressive 92% of the supply sourced from the local area, this means that £1.70 per every £1 spend was reinvested into the local community. This is a fantastic investment for the area, and it was a pleasure to work with the respectable developers Anwyl Partnerships.
About the Client
Hafod y Gest Care Home in Porthmadog, Gwynedd, is managed by the Housing Association ‘Grwp Cynefin.’ Their care homes across the North Wales area are committed to giving high-quality care to their residents, making them a popular choice for the over-55 community. It was amazing to be part of such a supportive project team, and we were pleased to contribute to the project in the best way we know how – to cover outdoor areas! We know how important the outdoors is for the mental and physical health of everyone, and so it was a real pleasure to know that we have helped to achieve this.
Why invest in a cover system for your healthcare site?
A shelter is an attractive and practical feature that has numerous benefits for patients, residents, and healthcare professionals. Even without the optional extras, a conventional canopy can be exactly what your healthcare site needs. We also installed a straight roof canopy at Meadow View Care Home.
Here are just some of the health benefits of fresh air, and some reasons why a canopy should be a standard feature for all care homes and other healthcare sites.
Antibacterial qualities of fresh air
From Florence Nightingale’s claim of ‘the wonder drug,’ and historical records clearly stating lower recovery times for Spanish Flu patients treated outside, our history appears to tell us that fresh air is a proven and effective way to help the body fight disease. Even today, the WHO claims that well-ventilated healthcare facilities can help with infection control. This isn’t the ‘latest advance’ in scientific knowledge. It has continuing relevance into today’s society with the spread of Covid-19 and the problems with airborne contamination.
More energy
Being outside results in both a greater oxygen intake and thus the higher functioning of our internal filtering unit. This helps to flush out toxins more efficiently. Naturally with this occurrence, the body will feel more energised. Additionally, this helps the bodily systems and organs to function at higher levels.
Great source of Vitamin D
As we go through life, we find out that there is a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals we need to keep our body functioning healthily. One of these is Vitamin D. Although supplements are available, there is nothing that replaces the real thing. Just 30 minutes of sunshine (even on a cloudy day) will do the trick, topping up your supplies to keep your bones healthy and strong.
There are numerous other health benefits to adding a canopy to your healthcare site, better sleep, opportunities to exercise, mood improvements. There are also many practical benefits, such as for the transportation of medical equipment. As a health care provider, we know you want to create the perfect environment for patient comfort, and a canopy that offers full weather protection all year round can help to achieve this.
Why choose A&S Landscape for your healthcare canopy?
A&S Landscape can help you to make the right choice for your perfect covered solution. All the way from the initial design to install, we are there to give a helping hand. We have 44 years’ of experience working with outdoor canopies, and so have built up a wealth of industry expertise and knowledge. We can help you to better understand what you’d like to achieve from the final canopy, and how you can fit it to your existing facilities.
If you’d like a canopy that serves a purpose on your healthcare premises, as a hospitality provision, an outdoor triage centre, or as a tool to designate areas for quiet zones, we can help you find the perfect solution. If you’re looking to promote wellness beyond patients, cycle shelters are a great addition to allow staff to ride to work. With additional features available – your shelter can be as robust as you like! Whatever you’d like for your canopy, our dedicated team can help you to find the best solution to improve your patient care.
To create your outdoor area, get in touch with our friendly team on 01743 444100 or at [email protected].
Hafod Y Gest Care Home Before and After
Before
After
Accreditations
