A spacious new discharge lounge at King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton, aims to speed-up the process of discharging patients, as well as allowing people quicker access to hospital beds.

It was officially opened by pupils from Wainwright Primary Academy, Mansfield, who have created special artwork for the facility, which has been named in their honour.

Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust launched a competition for young learners to design a montage on the nurses’ station.

The academy, part of Diverse Academies, won with its work titled A Busy Hospital, a project involving the whole school and led by art teacher Annalise Kennedy.

Principal Jon Chapman, said: “We saw this competition as a fantastic opportunity to educate our children about the hospital and its vital role.

“Winning the competition with our children’s creatively designed piece, now displayed in the new discharge lounge, fills us with pride.”

Medical director of the trust, which operates the hospital, Dr David Selwyn, said the Wainwright Discharge Lounge would help to improve processes as it transitions patients home.

“It was a real pleasure to host the children and their surprise at seeing their artwork displayed was priceless,” he added.

The lounge has increased capacity for 19 beds and a variety of chair spaces — initially 22. It will allow more patients the opportunity to transfer to the dedicated lounge, where specialist trained staff will help them to adjust to being at home again.

Team leader Jayne Taylor, who welcomed children to the lounge, said: “When we devised the competition to engage with local schools, we never imagined just how amazing the finished artwork would look.”