Palliative Care

Design And Install Of Hydrotherapy and Discreet Hoisting For Children’s Hospice

Martin House Children's Hospice, a beacon of hope and care for children with life-limiting conditions, embarked on an ambitious project to expand their facilities.

Martin House Children's Hospice New Build Entrance

Client Martin House Children's Hospice

Location Wetherby

Architect JDDK Architects

Contractor Meldrum Group

Sector

Health

The Challenge

Martin House set out to enhance their children’s hospice environment and combine specialist clinical support with warmth, dignity and a strong sense of home. ‘The Build’ initiative was set up in order to raise £2M in funding for the refurbishment to take place.

A key priority was ensuring safe and comfortable mobility for children with complex needs, while maintaining calm, welcoming spaces for families and staff.

This included the need for discreet ceiling hoist systems within bedrooms, helping children to be transferred safely without making the rooms feel clinical. The new hydrotherapy pool also required careful consideration, with integrated moving and handling equipment needed to support safe access to the water while preserving the comfort and experience of the space.

Approach

Our team worked closely with Martin House to understand the hospice’s care priorities, the needs of children and families, and the importance of creating environments that feel peaceful rather than medical. The focus was on delivering specialist equipment that would support safe, dignified care while blending sensitively into the finished spaces.

For the bedrooms, this meant incorporating discreet, hidden hoist installations to help maintain a calm and homely feel. For the hydrotherapy pool, the approach centred on accessibility, safety and family experience, ensuring children could access the benefits of the water with the right support in place.

Implementation

As part of the completed refurbishment, Innova installed ceiling hoist systems across key areas of the new children’s wing, including discreet hoist solutions within bedrooms. These installations were designed to support safe transfers while reducing the visual impact of specialist equipment in personal care spaces.

The hydrotherapy pool, opened in June 2026, has been completed as an overflow pool with integrated hoisting to support safe and dignified access for children with complex needs. The pool also features a projector screen, helping to create a more engaging and calming environment for children and families during hydrotherapy sessions.

Results

The completed refurbishment has helped Martin House create a more accessible, supportive and family-centred care environment. The discreet hoist installations have been particularly valued for helping bedrooms feel calm and homely, rather than clinical, while still giving staff the equipment they need to provide safe and efficient care.

The new hydrotherapy pool is now providing families with a specialist space that supports both therapeutic care and meaningful personal moments. One parent shared that they were especially looking forward to being able to hug their child properly in the water, free from the equipment that is part of everyday care.

This reflects why thoughtful accessible design matters. Specialist equipment should do more than support clinical care; it should help create comfort, dignity and moments of closeness for children and their families. At Martin House, the completed project demonstrates how integrated moving and handling solutions can enhance care environments while preserving the warmth, sensitivity and sense of home that are so important in hospice care.