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FOOTPRINT FLOOR GRAPHICS HELP PATIENTS FIND THEIR WAY
Following on from the highly successful installation at the end of last year of a series of 'bunny paws' leading to the children's play area, the hospital has now continued the scheme throughout its five departments. The new FootPrint floor graphics, manufactured and installed at the hospital by Bedford based Creative Image Services, are based on a series of colour coded, unbroken lines, that lead the patient or visitor from the reception area to the relevant department. The installation of the new floor graphics signage scheme has the endorsement of the Oxford Association for the Blind (OAB), which operates an advisory desk within the outpatients waiting area of the hospital. 'The colour coded scheme has been carefully thought out and researched to provide optimum clarity for the partially sighted,' says Gill Loveday of the OAB. 'We were actively involved in the specification process and have been able to see firsthand, the impact the floor graphics have had in giving the visitors and patients the confidence to find departments for themselves and reducing their dependence on others, by simply following the right colour.' The Autotype FootPrint floor graphics solution is a highly scratch and slip resistant material, developed specifically for applying high quality graphics directly to floor areas. The FootPrint floor graphics at the Oxford Eye Hospital are manufactured in very specific colours to optimise visual impact for the partially sighted. For example, use is made of bright oranges, yellows and greens with, in each instance, a strong black key line to highlight the area. In addition, all the floor graphics are formed in straight, continuous lines, with any broken up images or shapes avoided, as these can cause confusion to people with impaired vision. The Oxford Eye Hospital treats people of all ages, with many of its patients and visitors being elderly. Here the Autotype FootPrint floor graphics system provides a further advantage, as Gill Loveday explains. 'Many of the elderly visiting the hospital also have mobility problems. As the floor graphics lead visitors along the most direct route to the department they require, the time they have to spend on their feet is minimised.' In summary, Gill points out that, 'although very simple, the colour coded floor graphics are proving very effective in helping people find their way around the hospital n a more efficient manner, reducing frustration and increasing individual's confidence in their own abilities.'
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