THE state government has unveiled the new designs for Tamworth's Banksia Mental Health Unit.
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The 37-bed facility now carries a price tag of $56.2 million with services for children, adolescent, adults and elderly patients from across Tamworth, and the New England and North West.
The new unit - which was funded by the government after a long campaign from the Tamworth Mental Health Carers Support Group - will be built on the existing Banksia site, at the Tamworth hospital, adjacent to the emergency department.
The support group fought for more than five years for an updated new mental health unit and has helped to design the new centre.
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"Our community has been calling for the inclusion of child and adolescent beds in the new unit and we delivered with $14.6 million in additional funding as part of the 2022/23 budget," Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said.
"These new designs show that we will have beds and services for young people, adolescents, adults, and the elderly, which is a significant upgrade on the current unit and is what we have fought for from the start."
The new state-of-the-art centre will take several years before it is built and opened, and while no official timeline has been released, site works will begin in early 2023.
The new Banksia will include a wing of eight beds for elderly patients; a pod with 20 beds for adults, and five beds for adults in a high-acuity zone; child and adolescent community mental health services; as well as four adolescent inpatient beds.
"By adding enhanced mental health services for young people, we can further improve the care provided as well as positive outcomes for clients and their families. The extra beds will ensure adolescents who need care can stay closer to home and closer to their families and support networks," Minister for Regional and Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said.
The designs are now up for community consultation which will be held in Tamworth from January 23 to 25.
"We have asked the project team to be on the ground in Tamworth in January to ensure our community has an opportunity to provide feedback," Mr Anderson said.
"Community feedback has been so critical to delivering the facility we need, and I want to ensure that continues as we move through the final stages of planning and consultation."
To view the plans, visit www.hneinfra.health.nsw.gov.au/projects/banksia
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