Former suicide attempt survivor helps design new psychiatric ward at Aalborg University Hospital

A new psychiatric unit at Aalborg University Hospital has been co-designed with input from former patients, including Silas Vetner, who previously attempted suicide, Danish broadcaster DR reports.

The first patients moved into the new single rooms on Monday. Vetner, who has been hospitalised multiple times for suicide attempts and self-harm, said the new ward is “completely different” from his past experiences.

“It feels homely—a place you absolutely don’t want to escape from,” he told DR.

Patient feedback shaped key details of the rooms, which resemble hotel accommodations with wooden panels, colourful walls, and standard beds rather than clinical hospital furniture. Each room includes two chairs for visitors and a call button for staff assistance—a feature Vetner advocated for after struggling to leave his room during past stays.

Pia Thordal Lavrsen, the lead nurse, said patient insights revealed overlooked practical needs. “We have professional expertise, but we had to acknowledge that many everyday details hadn’t occurred to us,” she explained. The goal is to reduce the institutional feel so staff can focus on treatment.

The two new units—one for patients aged 18–35, another for those over 35—each have 18 single rooms. Shared amenities include a gym, physiotherapy space, sensory room, and courtyard gardens.

Vetner believes the environment will improve outcomes: “It’s a world apart from the old facilities. I’d bet I’d have had fewer and shorter hospitalisations here.”