A new 24-bed mental health rehabilitation service has opened in Adelaide's west and will start taking patients this week – the first of three specialist mental health units being delivered by the Malinauskas Labor Government to provide better care for patients and take pressure off busy emergency departments.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Mental Health Rehabilitation Service is housed in a purpose-built unit on Woodville Road opposite the QEH, designed with input from both patients and carers, featuring spaces to promote rehabilitation and recovery.
The beds are the latest in a huge expansion of the QEH by the Malinauskas Government, which is adding 140 additional beds at the hospital in just 18 months – a 40 per cent expansion.
The new mental health beds will enhance patient care and reduce pressure on services at the QEH.
Two other 24-bed mental health rehabilitation units are being built at Noarlunga and Modbury, due to open in coming months.
The specialist units represent a new approach to how mental health patients are supported as they navigate back into the community after a period of acute care.
Access to these beds will primarily come through referrals from acute hospitals as well as community mental health teams. They will free up acute inpatient beds and mean mental health patients in the community can receive extra support avoiding the emergency department.
Each of the single-bed rooms at the QEH service has a private ensuite and is designed as a home-like environment. There is also access to outdoor spaces, therapy and recreation spaces, with carers employing a best-practice mental health rehabilitation model.
It is estimated up to 100 people will be referred to the QEH service each year, with an average length of stay between four to 12 weeks.
There will be a phased opening with the first 12 patients to access the service from this week.
These 24 mental health beds follow an additional 26 medical and surgical beds that opened at the QEH last month, with another 10 extra surgical beds to open by the end of the year.
In total, the Malinauskas Labor Government is delivering a 40 per cent expansion of the QEH over 18 months.
Malinauskas Government's Expansion of the QEH |
|
July 2024 |
+52 rehabilitation beds |
July 2024 |
+15 extra emergency beds |
July 2024 |
+13 Urgent Care Hub beds |
July 2025 |
+26 medical and surgery beds |
September 2025 |
+24 mental health rehabilitation beds |
End 2025 |
+10 surgery beds |
Total |
Increase of 140 beds, over 40% more beds |
Quotes
As put by Peter Malinauskas
This is an historic milestone for mental health care in South Australia, as we deliver a generational uplift in our mental health bed capacity.
This brand-new 24-bed QEH mental health service is the first of three specialist mental health rehabilitation units that we are opening across Adelaide.
They will deliver better care to mental health patients and help take pressure off our busy emergency departments.
As put by Chris Picton
The Malinauskas Labor Government is strongly committed to improving mental health care in South Australia.
That's why we committed to opening three 24-bed specialist mental health rehabilitation services across Adelaide.
It's fantastic to have the first one of those now open, in Adelaide's west. It will take pressure off the nearby QEH and importantly will be a much better home-like environment for mental health patients.
This service is the latest addition in a massive expansion of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by our Government – we're adding 140 extra beds over 18 months.
As put by CALHN Executive Director, Mental Health Dr Paul Furst
This Mental Health Rehabilitation Service represents a new model for caring for consumers who need more time for recovery and assistance to safely return to the community.
The contribution of mental health consumers to the design of the physical setting and of the service delivery cannot be underestimated. With a setting designed to be home-like and promoting the continuation of life skills, we anticipate successful outcomes and the avoidance acute deterioration in mental health and the need for crisis care.
As put by CALHN Chief Executive Officer Dr Emma McCahon
Every part of this new Mental Health Rehabilitation Service has been co-designed with consumers and clinicians to ensure that consumers have access to safe and connected care in a purpose built space, designed for recovery.
Between hospital and community, the Mental Health Rehabilitation Service will be a valuable addition to support consumer recovery.
