Final sketch plans have been approved for the new Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit at Canberra Hospital.
This follows extensive consultation on the model of care and preliminary sketch plans with stakeholders and the community.
New Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit
The new $26.3 million state-of-the-art Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit (AAMHIU) will be a centre of excellence for the provision of adult acute mental health inpatient services. It will be a therapeutic place for healing and will provide holistic, evidence-based quality care.
The AAMHIU will provide specialised care and treatment for mental health consumers who require short-term intensive therapeutic intervention where less restrictive options have been deemed unsuitable or are unavailable. It will provide a pathway to healing for consumers that are admitted both voluntarily and involuntarily.
The new building has been designed to recognise a consumer’s journey, from seriously unwell to recovery; from withdrawal to social engagement; from despair to hope.
It will include 40 beds initially, with master planning for a 10 bed extension.
On the ground level, there will be a 10 bed high dependency (HDU) wing; 30 low dependency (LDU) beds in two wings; a central socialisation, living and dining space; a therapies wing; and support areas for treatment, assessment, staff, visitors and reception.
On the upper level, which is adjacent to a proposed elevated link (Hospital Street) across Bateson Road from the new southern car park, there are staff offices and amenities.
The three bedroom wings are each built around a courtyard, as are the therapy areas. A central courtyard “separates” the socialisation spine from the reception and visitors areas.
Open space to the west and south provide gardens, a sports court, amphitheatre and walking track.
The building has been designed following broad consultation on a detailed model of care for adult acute mental health inpatient services. Throughout the forward planning and development of the design there has been extensive input from consumer and carer groups and staff.
The facility will be functional, safe and comfortable. It will assist to meet the need to develop practices, therapeutic programs and a physical environment that reflects the recovery focus of services.
Final sketch plans
The final sketch plans include: site plan; aerial perspectives; internal perspectives; ground and first floor plans; bedroom designs; landscape plans; exterior and interior finishes; shadow studies and photo montages of a physical model of the new facility.
| Download: | AAMHIU final sketch plans (PDF File - 7235k) |
Further information
For further information please email: yourhealthourpriority@act.gov.au or phone 6205 3151.
In this section:
