Celebrations as hospital’s £2.7m revamp completed

The refurbishment of the historic Grade I listed hospital, which provides a range of mental health services, started in April 2009.

Wards 1 and 2 have been upgraded to create a 14-bed female and mother-and-baby unit and a 16-bed male ward. All have single rooms, some with en-suite bathroom facilities.

Jeff Whiley, mental health service manager at NHS North Yorkshire and York, said: “This has been an extensive refurbishment and we are delighted that it’s now finished and service users can now benefit from the improved facilities.

“This is also good for staff to be able to provide patient care in an improved clinical environment.

“Bootham Park is a very historic site and has been providing mental health care since the 18th Century.

“We are very pleased that the refurbishment work has retained the essential character of this listed building.”

As well as the refurbishment, a new sculpture designed by local metal worker John Walker has been unveiled.

The sculpture, created after advice by staff and service users at the hospital, takes the form of a “balloon tree” and is a collection of rising solid oak leaves.

Mr Walker said: “Three designs were put forward and the one the staff and service users were most keen on was the balloon tree.

“The leaves come together to create a sculpture that represents hope and optimism.

“It promotes a sense of life, recovery and a positive future.

“The hands within the tree deliver a sense of freedom and fun, as well as resembling friendship and a coming-together of all that the tree represents.”

Bootham Park Hospital stands in its own grounds and might easily be mistaken for a grand country house.

In 1772 at a meeting at York Castle, the Archbishop of York called together gentlemen of the three ridings of Yorkshire, along with Dr Alexander Hunter and architect John Carr.

His intention was to create a lunatic asylum to prevent the mentally ill from being placed in unsuitable institutions like prisons.