Kevin Anderson and Di Wyatt
Work has started on the long-awaited Tamworth Mental Health Unit - a project that will transform the future of mental health care in Tamworth and the Northwest.
Nationals Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said the start of construction on the unit is a great milestone for patients, carers, and their families.
"In 2017, I met the Tamworth Mental Health Carers Support Network to kick off the campaign to build a better mental health unit in Tamworth," Mr Anderson said.
"Don and Di Wyatt told me that we needed a state-of-the-art mental health unit to provide world class treatment to those who need mental health care in Tamworth and that led to a petition seven years ago.
"The start of construction on the 37-bed unit is an outstanding milestone and gets us one step closer to opening our brand-new mental health unit."
Mr Anderson said the new Tamworth Mental Health Unit will be a warm, welcoming, supportive, comfortable and safe space for patients from Tamworth and across the Northwest to receive treatment.
"That includes beds for children and adolescents, putting an end to the practice of sending our kids to Newcastle for treatment and support.
"It's great to stand alongside carers with the Tamworth Mental Health Carers Support Network who worked incredibly hard codesigning this unit to ensure it meets the needs of patients and their families well into the future.
"The advocacy and feedback have helped fine-tune and perfect this facility, ensuring lived experience played a role in the design of Tamworth's new mental health unit."
Construction of the $58 million facility is expected to take 18 months.
