News

New 102-bed Mental Health Unit opens at Joondalup Health Campus

Aug 21, 2023

The Premier of Western Australia, the Hon. Roger Cook MLA, and Minister for Health and Mental Health, the Hon Amber-Jade Sanderson MLA have officially opened a new world-class 102-bed Mental Health Unit at Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) which sets a new benchmark for care.

The facility is part of the $269.4 million expansion of JHC campus co-funded by the State and Australian Governments and includes wards for adult patients and, for the first time, youth patients (16-24 years) and older adults (65+ years).

The wards include contemporary, recovery focused interiors with light-filled individual patient rooms, and shared lounge and dining facilities built around multiple landscaped courtyards for recreation including basketball, craft and ping pong.

Head of Service, Dr Martin Chapman said patient needs are met by specialised, multidisciplinary teams including doctors, nurses, allied health staff, and clinical psychologists who work in conjunction with in-reach services to support recovery.

“We are extremely proud to have such an outstanding facility which enhances the care and wellbeing of these patients,” said Dr Chapman.

A traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony was held to cleanse the Mental Health Unit before it opened to patients. Wadjuk man, Justin Martin, who has strong connections to the Joondalup area and the hospital, facilitated the ceremony, which was attended by the Executive, Senior Leadership and Mental Health teams, the Aboriginal Health Committee and members of the North Metropolitan Health Service Aboriginal Health team.

The opening of the Unit was quickly followed by the demolition of the old Mental Health Unit, making way for a five-storey, 112-bed public ward block, part of the next phase of works, to be completed by 2025, creating capacity for the increasing demands of the population with a 30-bed medical/surgical inpatient ward, a Cardiac Care Unit with 16 public beds, and two 30-bed wards which are planned to be fitted out at a later stage.

The Operating Department facilities will be increased with one new operating theatre adjacent to the existing 12 theatres taking the total to thirteen, one new Interventional Catheterisation Laboratory taking the total to two, one new, larger anaesthetic room taking the total to five; four additional Post Anaesthesia Care Unit (PACU) bed bays taking the total to 30; five additional pre-surgery holding bays taking the total to 15; and increased clinical support areas.

Mental Health Unit exterior.

L-R Ramsay Health Care Australia CEO Carmel Monaghan with the WA Minister for Health and Mental Health the Hon. Amber-Jade Sanderson, the Premier the Hon. Roger Cook MLA and the Federal Member for Pearce Tracey Roberts MP.

Smoking Ceremony prior to the opening of the Mental Health Unit.