The Mike Harris Learning and Development Centre has opened at Rampton Hospital offering a bright, state of the art centre for training and conferences. The Centre, built at a cost of £3.5m, is named after Dr Mike Harris, the Executive Director with Nottinghamshire Healthcare, who has responsibility for the Forensic Division of the Trust. Mike, who has managed Rampton Hospital since 2001, has played an important part in the development of the Trust as the leading provider of forensic mental health services in the country.
The Centre has five separate full air conditioned training rooms with the ability to be combined for multi use. Seating options give the flexibility to service events for between 10 to 200 people. An area in the building is set aside for individuals needing to hot desk; telephone point, computer access, Wifi and facility to charge mobile phones is available to visitors and delegates
The Centre boasts a conference centre holding a maximum of 200 people with a high spec audio visual provision, room sensitive lighting and heating, ergonomically designed seating and flexible table arrangements. A full catering menu of refreshments, buffets and hot meals are available on request at competitive rates.
The Centre is also the base for the largest forensic library in the country. It is stocked with a range of books and periodicals exemplifying Rampton Hospital’s leading status as provider of three national services.
The Mike Harris Learning and Development Centre has been designed with the environment in mind and will continue to deliver ecologically sustainable services wherever possible. One third of the centre’s energy is taken from renewable energy resources. Paperless systems wherever possible supported by advanced audio visual technology and high specification photocopying and scanning help minimise excess printer and paper use. Whilst maximising the quality of the service to you.
The Centre will host a range of art work, with exhibitions from the wide portfolio of work from the patient group at Rampton to local artists. Planned rotation of art will maximise the opportunity for artists to exhibit their work.
Mike Harris commented: “It’s usual for a new building to be named after someone who has died or is retiring but I am planning on neither of those yet! I am immensely proud of this new building and the facilities that we can now provide for our staff and indeed the local community. I look forward to the Centre becoming a popular and effective conference venue, with its wide variety of potential uses.”
The opening of the Centre was marked by inaugural lectures by Professor Kevin Howells, Academic Chair of the Peaks Academic Research Unit, and Allison Tennant, Nurse Consultant at the Hospital.
