There is still no timeline for the groundbreaking of Tamworth's new mental health unit, after a visit by the minister on Thursday.
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Minister for mental health Bronnie Taylor visited the north west in the aftermath of a commitment to spend $15 million to expand Tamworth's new Banksia mental health unit to cater to children.
Hunter New England Health Executive Director of Mental Health Doctor Brendan Flynn confirmed the new unit would be delayed by about six months as a result of the budget commitment in June.
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"Now that we've got the funding locked in there is more planning required, because we do need to get back to what we're reasonably finalised building plans to work on the adjustment to be able to put in the young people's section," he said.
"So I don't have an exact date."
Minister Taylor said the government will "get going as soon as we possibly can".
"It takes time to plan health services, but the planning is so important. And I know for the community sometimes that you can't see that planning, because it's not holes in the ground and it's not bricks and scaffolding going up.
"But it's really, really important because, [if] we get this right, this is how it stays right for decades to come for this area."
Tamworth mental health advocate Di Wyatt said she understands the need for a holdup.
"If we hadn't have gone for the option four and just kept it the way it was, we would probably have seen start it at the end of the year," she said.
"Because we want the option four, we expect the delay."
Now the government has to apply for a development application to start the build.
"A few months on, what's the difference? It's already been five years."
Minister Taylor asked the community to "be patient" for the new facility.
"One thing I can say with absolute confidence is that when we open this facility, and you walk through these doors, and you see the difference that it will make to you, to your community, and to your families, you will be amazed," she said.
Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said that "mental health continues to be a significant problem, not only in our adult population, but also in our child and adolescent mental health community".
He said the new unit would be "state-of-the-art".
"Now we're able to look at the future with much more confidence in terms of what we are able to provide," he said.
Aside from four acute beds to cover child and adolescent patients, the city will also get a youth and adolescent team to cover the rural community in the new specialist unit.
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