Since 2013, Matthew Balaam has been leading the better bedroom 2 initiative for the Design in Mental Health Network. The initiative was originally set up in 2012 to change the way we think a mental health bedroom should look and function in the future. The better bedroom is not to provide answers but to provoke discussion and to ease out a debate.

Matthew Balaam selected a panel of judges to create a Dragon’s Den style interview process. The breadth of Mental Health Sector experience from each judge allowed them to challenge the safety, security, privacy and dignity, but also step back and promote the future in mental health.

28 separate companies were then chosen to create the bedroom at the 2015 Design in Mental Health Conference and it proved to be the highlight of the event.

The next time to view the bedroom will be at the Design in Mental Health 2016 Conference on the 17th - 18th May 2016.

• To Create homely environment
• To Stimulate the development of better products
• Continue the debate forward on anti-ligature fixtures and fittings
• To use the most up to date technology