The 40-bed facility for patients experiencing severe and complex mental health disorders is set to open in 2025.
Prototypes have been released for Queensland’s $122 million secure mental health facility, scheduled to open at Gold Coast University Hospital in early 2025.
Designed to provide a “home-like” environment for patients with severe and complex mental health disorders, the 40-bed facility will also include an undercroft and walkway connecting to the hospital’s existing mental health building.
Individuals with lived experience of mental illness involved in the facility’s construction will also be given the opportunity to view the prototype rooms and offer feedback on the designs, according to Gold Coast Health’s Clinical Director of Mental Health and Specialist Services Dr Sandeep Chand.
“Our aim is to offer a safe space for individuals living with mental illness to rest, recover, and rehabilitate over an extended period, longer than a typical hospital stay. We’ve worked closely with our lived experience team to create a therapeutic environment that feels like home,” Dr Chand said.
“We’ve designed our rooms to maximise natural light and include secure outdoor spaces, contributing to a truly healthy setting for our patients.
“To ensure the rooms are built with the end-user in mind, we’re using the prototype rooms as an opportunity to seek further input from our lived experience team who understand first-hand the role of the environment when people are at their most vulnerable.
Construction of the facility is due to be completed by the end of the year.
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