newy.com.au – The first major concrete pour has been completed for a new 64-bed mental health rehabilitation facility at Maitland Hospital, with construction expected to finish in 2028.
The Metford facility will provide specialist rehabilitation and forensic mental health services for adults, allowing more patients to receive care in the Hunter rather than travelling outside the region.
Almost 1250 cubic metres of concrete will be poured during construction to form the building’s structure. The project is being delivered through the NSW government’s $700 million Statewide Mental Health Infrastructure Program, although a specific construction cost was not provided.
Plans include private rooms with ensuites, communal living areas and light-filled courtyards. The centre will also have sensory rooms, indoor and outdoor therapy spaces, therapeutic gardens and walking paths.
The facility will be integrated with other health services on the Maitland Hospital campus, which opened at Metford in 2022.
Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison said the project would strengthen mental health services across the city and wider Hunter.
“Receiving the right care at the right time can make all the difference,” Ms Aitchison said.
“This new facility will provide a modern, therapeutic environment where people can access specialist mental health support closer to home.”
Hunter New England Local Health District infrastructure executive director John Barnard-Richardson said clinicians, staff, people with lived experience and members of the local Aboriginal community had contributed to the facility’s design.
“We are very pleased to reach this important milestone for the new Maitland Mental Health Rehabilitation facility,” he said.
“Our clinicians, staff, people with lived experience, and the local Aboriginal community have provided extensive input to ensure the facility creates a safe, therapeutic environment for people living with a mental illness.”
