Canterbury DHB thrilled with announcement of funding

28 February 2019

Canterbury DHB thrilled with announcement of funding for new facilities

Canterbury DHB Chief Executive David Meates, has welcomed today’s announcement from the Prime Minister of around $79 million to fund the construction of two new facilities for some of the region’s Specialist Mental Health Services.

“These services are currently located in outdated buildings at The Princess Margaret Hospital site, and I’m thrilled they will be moving to modern new facilities at Hillmorton.

“The demand for Canterbury’s mental health services has continued to grow in line with predictions based on international post-disaster research. Over the past eight years, our specialist mental health services have been challenged by more people needing our help than we have physical space for – and our ageing facilities are no longer fit for purpose. This has created ongoing issues.”

“Our staff are supporting 700 more people every month in our adult general mental health service than pre-quake, and 450 more people every month in our Child and Youth mental health service.

“In the past year 32,341 people received mental health support from across our health system. Almost half of this group have required our specialist mental health services in the past year. This equates to 3893 children and adolescents along with 9899 adults and 2419 older people accessing our mental services. This high demand has put considerable strain on our existing facilities and on staff delivering and managing our mental health services.

“I am thrilled with today’s important funding announcement. It gives the go-ahead for two multipurpose buildings – an Integrated Family Services Centre including purpose-designed facilities to meet the needs of the Mothers & Babies service, Eating Disorders, and Child and Adolescent inpatients and outpatients, and a separate High and Complex Needs Unit.

“This provides a welcome boost for our specialist mental health services staff, many of whom will be relocated from The Princess Margaret Hospital into these new purpose-built facilities. It’s also a boost for our patients, both local and regional, who will benefit from the improved services these new facilities will bring.

“These two buildings will be the first steps in a full remodelling of the Hillmorton campus – a process which will, over the coming years, transform our mental health services. With 1 in 5 Cantabrians accessing mental health support, this funding and the new facilities it provides can only be seen as positive news for the wellbeing and mental health of Cantabrians,” David Meates said.

ENDS

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