Today the first sod was turned on a new $7 million Mental Health Crisis Stabilisation service at Robina Hospital in Queensland. The new service, incorporating 12 chairs in a new purpose-built building, will deliver an important expansion of mental health support services on the Gold Coast. This is in addition to an extra eight mental health beds being delivered within the existing Robina Hospital.

Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, the Hon. Yvette D’Ath, said it will be one of the first health services in Australia to introduce a crisis stabilisation facility and model of care, which offers a more suitable environment for treatment than the Emergency Department.

“It’s been designed by clinicians and people with lived experience to provide a non-clinical, more home-like, therapeutic environment for consumers and their families,” Minister D’Ath commented.

“Extensive stakeholder consultation with Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Police Service and various non-government organisations have helped inform the design of the facility,” she shared.

Member for Gaven, Meaghan Scanlon, said the new service, when operational, will transform the care experience of Gold Coast consumers experiencing acute mental health issues.

“Our goal is for the majority of Gold Coast mental health consumers to have an alternative to Emergency Department, transforming their care experience,” Ms Scanlon said.

“The Crisis Stabilisation Service is one component of Gold Coast Health’s Crisis Now Initiative which also includes expanded 24-hour Crisis Line for triaging and coordination of consumers.”

Construction on the new facility is expected to be finished in mid-2021.