"I forgot what it feels like to be outside." These were the emotional words of Hollie Allan, 29, as she experienced the warmth of sunlight on her face for the first time in two months. Transferred from intensive care for the first time, Allan rode a hospital lift upward, aiming for a pioneering new outdoor ward situated on the roof of King’s College Hospital in south London.

Surrounded by nurses in the elevator who warned, "Brace yourself for the cold," Allan was met with bright sunshine as the doors opened. Her expression shifted from a smile to tears. "I'm sorry, it's so nice. It's so beautiful," she said, wiping away her emotions. "I forgot what it feels like to be outside."

Allan, who remains connected to feeding tubes and life support while awaiting a crucial heart operation, is the inaugural patient to utilize this groundbreaking facility. It is the first of its kind in the UK, designed to accommodate up to six critically ill patients. The space is equipped with power and oxygen supplies housed in waterproof enclosures beside each bed, allowing even the most vulnerable patients to receive safe outdoor care.

While hospital gardens have long been recognized for boosting patient wellbeing and potentially shortening hospital stays, they have rarely been equipped to support those in critical condition. Physicians at King’s College Hospital believe this new setup could offer significant advantages for patients who have endured prolonged hospitalizations. The medical team plans to track vital metrics, including heart rate, respiratory rate, and pain levels, to determine if the rooftop environment accelerates recovery.

Allan’s experience highlights the psychological toll of long-term confinement. "When you're stuck inside all day there's no motivation to try and get back to normal life. You get tired of fighting," she explained. Even before her admission, her severe illness had kept her indoors, making the current experience particularly profound. She noted that she could spend several hours on the rooftop depending on the weather, adding, "Even if it was thunderstorms, I'd be out here. It's lovely."

Dr. Phil Hopkins, an intensive care consultant at the hospital, emphasized that exposure to natural elements helps patients readjust after being "ripped from their reality" and institutionalized. "We don't just want to save lives," Hopkins stated. "We want to return them to their lives as quickly as we can."

The project also aims to support the staff. Intensive care workers will have access to the rooftop during their breaks, with management hoping the space provides much-needed respite.

Garden designer Sarah Price described the area as "the antithesis of a hospital ward." She collaborated with the late landscape architect Nigel Dunnett, with whom she had previously worked on the London 2012 Olympic Park, to create the planting scheme. The garden features scented flowers like honeysuckle, jasmine, and lavender, alongside textured foliage and grasses that allow patients to engage with nature through touch and smell.

Price observed that such environments help individuals slow down and reconnect with the natural world. "You can see the change not only on their face, but just in the way they breathe," she said.

The construction of the garden, which cost over £2 million, was funded by the hospital’s charity. Chief Executive Clive Kay expressed optimism that the initiative would transcend mere aesthetic improvement. He hopes it will result in shorter patient stays and more efficient use of critical care resources, a model that could potentially be adopted by other NHS hospitals nationwide.

Photography by Emma Lynch (Drone footage supplied by King's College Hospital)

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-29 00:00:10 UTC