Mental health facility at Hervey Bay Hospital opens amid scathing report

A first look inside Hervey Bay’s $37 million mental health facility has been unveiled just hours after a bombshell report laid bare widespread harassment at Hervey Bay Hospital.

A first look inside Hervey Bay’s long awaited mental health facility has been unveiled, hours after a bombshell report laid bare widespread bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment at Hervey Bay Hospital.

The 22-bed facility, which is Hervey Bay’s first, is apart of $40 million project designed to increase the prevalence of mental healthcare services on the Fraser Coast.

State minister for Health Shannon Fentiman visited the facility on Wednesday morning along with Hervey Bay MP Adrian Tantari, and Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service Chief Executive Debbie Carroll.

Ms Fentiman said the facility “will mean that more beds and essential support services will be available closer to home for residents in Hervey Bay and surrounding areas”.

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Describing the completion of construction as “a long-awaited milestone”, she said the facility “is an incredibly therapeutic environment, it is light, it is bright and designed to help people recover as quickly as they can”.

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Her thoughts were echoed by both Mr Tantari and Ms Carroll.

Nearly half of junior doctors at Hervey Bay Hospital have reported witnessing or suffering harassment.

Mr Tantari said “the facility will be a bonus for the community” and Ms Carroll said it was “state of the art and will supply a much-needed service”.

The news is not all positive for Hervey Bay Hospital, with a new report revealing high levels of bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination at the hospital.

The annual Resident Hospital Health Check, was carried out by the Australia Medical Association, surveyed 723 junior doctors across 20 Queensland hospitals.

It found 48 per cent of junior doctors from Hervey Bay reported having seen or personally witnessed harassment.

The facility was ranked worst in that criteria.

Ms Fentiman said “bullying, harassment or burnout is unacceptable” and urged those who witnessed or experienced it to “please speak up and talk to us how we can support and retain you”.

The Hospitals overall ranking of C was the equal second lowest in Queensland, only above Rockhampton Hospital.

“Building the facilities, building the numbers of clinicians will all go to improving the way junior doctors feel at regional hospitals such as Hervey Bay” she said.

The mental health facility is expected to be fully operational by 2024.