New Proserpine Hospital mental health facility announced, replacing Snap Fitness

A Snap Fitness facility is to being transformed into mental health facilities ahead of long-awaited upgrades at a North Queensland hospital. Find out when the project will be delivered.

A Snap Fitness facility is soon be transformed into mental health facilities ahead of major upgrades at the Proserpine Hospital. Picture: Contributed/Evan Morgan

A Snap Fitness facility is soon be transformed into mental health facilities ahead of major upgrades at the Proserpine Hospital.

Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman had announced late last year that $7m worth of upgrades would be brought to the hospital by early 2025.

That includes bringing a renal unit to the hospital and upgrading the Acute Primary Care Clinic by 2026.

But before works could commence at the hospital, mental health services needed to be moved to a new location to open up space.

It can now be revealed that Proserpine’s old Snap Fitness facility on Chapman St is to become the new Community Mental Health Centre and should be operational by mid-2024.

The old snap fitness building in Proserpine is being renovated to welcome the hospital's mental health services ahead of major upgrades at the hospital.

Acting Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Service Mark Ryan said the new centre will deliver consultation rooms, office space, and a multipurpose area suitable for group therapy and other community uses.

“It’s great to see this project progressing and to know the Proserpine community will soon have access to expanded mental health and support services in a purpose-fit

building,” Mr Ryan said.

Construction group Taylor Builders Townsville was granted the tender for the new mental health facility and works have already commenced.

General manager Cameron Landy said they broke ground on the construction site on the first week of December.

Project supervisor Clay Pearce said works should be done by late April or early May, adding that all the workers involved in the construction were Whitsunday locals.

“We always use local people,” Mr Pearce said.

Proserpine Hospital. Picture: Supplied

The project to upgrade the Proserpine Hospital is part of an $8 million commitment in the 2022-2023 budget to refurbish the hospital’s Acute Primary Care Clinic and bring four renal dialysis chairs to the facility.

Earlier in 2020, the then Minister Stephen Miles had committed $5m to upgrade Proserpine Hospital’s Acute Primary Care Clinic after a couple had started a petition.

So far kidney patients have had to travel to Mackay to receive treatment, including Navio Zeglio – the Proserpine resident that would do the drive down every Wednesday for his wife’s treatment.

Mr Ryan said the construction of the renal unit is set to begin in late 2024.