Mental Health Services at Waitemata DHB

MEDIA RELEASE
22 November 2012

Major Redevelopment of Mental Health Services at Waitemata DHB

A new mental health facility is to be developed in the Waitemata district as part of an expansion of services for the district’s growing population.

The Waitemata District Health Board’s $25 million 46-bed development, to be located on Shakespeare Rd adjacent to North Shore Hospital, will house mental health services currently being delivered out of a converted 1950s ex-maternity unit building on the hospital site.

“The new development will not only help us meet the needs of our rapidly expanding population, it also provides us with a purpose built facility that will enable us to deliver these services more effectively,” says Waitemata DHB chairman Dr Lester Levy.

“The building will also have dedicated therapeutic spaces, enabling staff to better use a range of modern treatment methods to support our mental health clients in their recovery.”

Waitemata’s clinical director for mental health services, Dr Murray Patton, says the new building will remain close to the main hospital tower block.

“This means there is ready access to diagnostics and other medical specialists, which is crucial when caring for those with other associated health conditions.”

Along with the new facility, the DHB will also be working with a number of non-governmental organisations to develop additional mental health acute residential services for the North Shore and Rodney areas, providing up to 17 beds in community settings across several locations.

Dr Patton says such acute residential services are well-established internationally and have already been developed in other parts of New Zealand.

“These are services that are located within the community close to a community mental health team. They enable us to provide care, support and short term accommodation to those with less serious mental health issues.”

Construction is expected to start next year with completion by the end of 2014.

The new mental health unit marks a continuation of the DHB’s facilities modernisation programme, which has to date seen a number of new facilities developed, including:

• a new emergency department and Assessment & Diagnostic Unit at North Shore Hospital
• the 25 bed Lakeview Cardiology Centre housing a coronary care unit, step-down unit, a cardiology ward and two cardiac catheterisation laboratories
• An expanded paediatric unit at Waitakere Hospital, with ten additional beds, a new indoor playroom, an outdoor garden area, parent kitchen and negative pressure isolation room for children with infectious diseases
• A new 1200 space carparking building at North Shore, significantly increasing parking capacity for the public and staff alike
• The North Shore Dialysis Centre, providing in-centre renal dialysis for people with kidney failure
• Eight new school dental clinics, 12 transportable dental units and five mobile dental vans throughout the Waitemata district providing state of the art oral health facilities for children in the district

ENDS

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