Overview

Thomas Embling Hospital forensic mental health services expansion

201 Yarra Bend Road, Fairfield, Victoria, 3078, Australia

The $23.48 million Thomas Embling Hospital forensic mental health services expansion was completed in July 2019.

It was designed to support more people at risk to access the mental health services they need, in a secure environment.

One in three prisoners are assessed as having mental health treatment needs with demand for mental health beds in the criminal justice system increasing over the past decade.

Thomas Embling Hospital is the leading specialist provider of secure forensic mental health services in Victoria. It provides advanced clinical treatment for patients within the criminal justice system who are either transferred from prison or ordered by the courts to be detained for psychiatric assessment and care.

The Thomas Embling Hospital forensic mental health services expansion included an eight-bed Secure Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (SPICU), ten additional beds across existing wards and two beds in the specialised women’s unit.

1 IN 3

PRISONERS SUFFER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

8-BED

SECURE PSYCHIATRIC ICU

ADDITIONAL BEDS ACROSS WARDS

NEW SECURE WOMEN'S BEDS

Scope

The forensic mental health services expansion delivered:

an eight-bed Secure Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (SPICU) 
ten additional beds across existing wards 
two additional beds within the specialised women’s unit 
priority upgrade works 
ongoing development of the Thomas Embling Hospital masterplan.

This project increased the total number of beds from 116 to 138, including the two women’s beds that were also added. There are now 12 secure women’s beds.

Benefits

The Thomas Embling Hospital forensic mental health services expansion aimed to deliver the following benefits:

enable more people at risk to access the mental health services they need in a secure environment
reduce wait times for mental health assessment and treatment
support the rehabilitation and recovery of patients in a safe and therapeutic environment
reduce incidents of mental health deterioration and self-harm
increase access to sub-acute services and safety for female patients.