An exterior image of the new mental health facility to be built at Taranaki Base Hospital.
An exterior image of the new mental health facility to be built at Taranaki Base Hospital.
Work begins this month on a stand-alone mental health facility at Taranaki Base Hospital.
Te Whatu Ora group director of Taranaki operations and project senior officer Gillian Campbell said the new facility had been designed to deliver clinical care and rehabilitation services to meet the needs of mentalhealth patients.
“Currently our Taranaki mental health and addiction specialist service supports around 5000 people at different stages of their mental health journey. However, for several people, that journey is more challenging. That is where this new facility will add real value, enabling us to provide patients with an extra step on their journey.”
The project is one of 16 within HNZ’s Mental Health Infrastructure Programme and continues the wider mental health upgrade at Taranaki Base Hospital as the Project Maunga Hospital Redevelopment Programme.
An area within the hospital campus near the Tukapa St entrance will be redeveloped to accommodate the building.
The site has been blessed by Taumaruroa - Ngāti Te Whiti and the eight iwi of Taranaki to acknowledge the site’s history and to prepare it for its new purpose.
Interior image of the new mental health facility to be built at Taranaki Base Hospital.
Campbell said the facility would have short to medium-term stay bedrooms, each with an ensuite.
“Once complete it will be a place where patients can be based while they learn or re-learn the everyday skills needed to transition to independent living back in the community.”
