Victorian mental health to get $500m cash boost

More Victorians suffering from mental health issues will be able to access care after after the government announced a $500m cash boost for facilities.

Thousands more Victorians will be able to get special care with the government to spend almost $500m on 120 mental health beds.

Mental Health Minister James Merlino was due on Sunday to release designs and announce the builder for acute mental health facilities in Epping, Geelong, Parkville and St Albans.

The design brief was to create a safe, welcoming, and healing atmosphere for patients undergoing treatment and recovery. Carers, clinicians, staff, and consumers with experience of the mental health system were consulted during the design process.

The beds will be spread across Northern Health’s Epping campus (30 beds), Barwon Health’s McKellar Centre (16), the Royal Melbourne Hospital (22) and Western Health’s Sunshine Hospital (52).

Lendlease Building has been appointed head contractor.

The investment responds to a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

Mr Merlino said: “These new beds will mean more people can get the care they need, when they need it most — and take pressure off our emergency departments.

“We’re implementing every recommendation of the Royal Commission — to fix our broken mental health system and save lives.”

Works are set to begin in mid-2021, with all facilities to be running by 2023. The beds will deliver 43,000 extra days of hospital-based care, meaning about 2500 more people will be able to get help.

The facilities will also reduce pressure on emergency departments.

The government committed $868.6m to mental health services in its latest Budget. It is the single largest investment in mental health by any state government.

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