Initial Plans For New Mental Health Units In Cardiff Approved, UK

Main Category: Mental Health
Article Date: 09 Feb 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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Units to improve assessment and care for patients in line with One Wales commitment

More than £118million will be invested by the Welsh Assembly Government to improve mental health services in Cardiff, Health Minister Edwina Hart announced today.

The plans will improve assessment and care and support for people living with mental health conditions.

It will include £50million for a mental health assessment unit for older people to be developed on the University Hospital Llandough site.

A new £68million inpatient unit for working age adults will be built at Whitchurch Hospital. Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust expects to submit final plans for the new units to the Health Minister in the Spring for her consideration. Subject to approval, work should get underway in the next year and they should be open to patients by October 2011.

Once the two new units have been built, the current outdated facilities at Whitchurch Hospital can be closed.

Mrs Hart said the new units will substantially improve care and the privacy and dignity of patients.

"Since becoming Health Minister, I have made clear that improving mental health services is one of my top priorities. I have already approved schemes in both North and South Wales to improve child, adult and elderly mental health services.

"Today's significant investment demonstrates clearly the commitment I have to further improving services. For too long mental health has been seen as the Cinderella service - not any more.

"These new units, which are in line with the National Service Framework for Mental Health Services, will greatly enhance services and provide a better environment to improve the health and well-being of patients. I am pleased that once these new units open, we will be able to close the outdated Whitchurch Hospital.

"I look forward to seeing the final details of these proposed developments from Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust for my consideration."

This funding will be the latest investment in Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust. Work is already underway at the University Hospital of Wales and University Hospital Llandough to improve services for women and their children and to provide a PET scanner Centre.

Notes

The Health Minister, Edwina Hart, has approved Outline Business Cases (OBC) from Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust for the development of a £49.850 million inpatient unit for older people (over 65 years) to be built on the University Hospital Llandough site and a £68.44 million Mental Health Inpatient Unit for Working Age Adults to be built on the Whitchurch Hospital site.

The OBC is the second of a three-stage business case approval process for significant capital investment in the NHS in Wales.

NHS in Wales

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