Work is underway for a stand-alone mental health facility on the St John of God Murdoch Hospital campus that will include a specialist youth and adolescent service, a first of its kind in Western Australia.
The 48-bed facility will treat patients with mild-to-moderate mental health disorders by offering two different services for adults experiencing mental health issues alongside dedicated youth and adolescent services.
St John of God Murdoch Hospital Chief Executive Ben Edwards said the facility would mean patients would be able to receive the treatment they need closer to home.
“Currently there are no private mental health facilities south of the river in the Perth metropolitan area, and there are no private specialist inpatient services specifically for young people anywhere in the State,” he noted.
“There is a clear unmet need in our community for mental health programmes. This facility will offer a contemporary and innovative model of care, focussed on meeting patients’ holistic needs and supporting them to recovery quickly and sustainably.
“The two distinct services will include both day programmes and high-quality overnight accommodation so that patients can receive optimal care tailored to their individual needs,” he added.
Pointing at the location of the new facility, Mr Edwards believes that it is ideal, being separated “from the main hospital, but close enough to easily care for peoples’ physical and mental health”.
“There are many benefits of being located on our campus, near to a range of other health organisations in the Murdoch Health Precinct and with easy to access public transport links,” he stated.
The facility will focus on mild to moderate mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, trauma and drug and alcohol-related mental health disorders.
Construction is set to commence in early-2021 and the facility is scheduled to open in 2022.
Dr Chinar Goel, who is an experienced consultant psychiatrist with specialist experience in youth and peri-natal psychiatry, has been appointed as Murdoch’s Mental Health Lead to guide the development of the new service.
Dr Goel brings a wealth of experience, having set up similar services in the past and specialising in youth mental health, in addition to her recovery-focussed approach to empower and educate the patient and families about their mental health issues.