Construction starts on delayed $70m Cairns Hospital mental health unit
Cairns Hospital’s new mental health unit was supposed to be finished this month. Instead, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath is about to turn the first sod.
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CAIRNS Hospital’s new mental health unit was supposed to be finished this month.
Instead, Yvette D’Ath is about to turn the first sod.
The health minister will officially launch construction of the new 53-bed facility on Wednesday.
The three-storey building will include a 10-bed mental health intensive care unit that will finally allow acute patients to be treated in a purpose-built facility.
Another 43 beds will be built across two adult acute inpatient units.
The region’s mental health inpatients have been taking up general hospital beds since the former unit was demolished in 2020.
“Mental health issues affect one in four people in our community, which underlines the importance of this new facility for Cairns and the Far North,” Ms D’Ath said.
“It represents $70m worth of investment and marks an important upgrade of local acute mental health services.”
Unfortunately, there will be a long wait.
Originally set for completion in February 2022, the unit is now expected to finish construction in 2023 and open early in 2024.
The delays have gone unexplained but, at long last, work will begin with Hutchinson Builders ready to hit the ground.
“Staff and service users, including patients and their families, were extensively consulted in the design of the new mental health unit,” Ms D’Ath said.
“The end result will be a new purpose-built facility providing a modern and therapeutic environment to help the recovery of mental health patients.
“I want to thank the Member for Cairns Michael Healy for his tireless advocacy for this expansion of acute mental health services in the local community.”
The unit’s predecessor had 48 beds, so its replacement adds only five beds to the mix.
However, it will be a light-filled, cutting-edge improvement on the outdated former facility.
Mr Healy said there was increasing demand for mental health services in Cairns.
“Local patients and families have long been campaigning for improved mental health services and that’s what we’re delivering,” Mr Healy said.
“This new facility will provide a more flexible response to acute mental health needs in a supportive environment.
“This is also an important infrastructure project for the Cairns economy, creating nearly 70 full-time equivalent jobs over the life of the project.”
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Originally published as Construction starts on delayed $70m Cairns Hospital mental health unit
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