New beds proposed for mental hospital

A FOURTEEN- BED extension to a mental health hospital in Townsville’s city centre is being planned.

A development application to convert underused space at the Townsville Private Clinic to beds for patients has been lodged with Townsville City Council.

The clinic is Townsville’s only private inpatient mentalhealth facility.

It opened in August 2015 in the former Department of Transport and Main Roads building.

Townsville Private Clinic chief executive officer Patrick McGurrin said original master planning of the site intentionally identified the ability to expand services in the future, within the building footprint if demand for additional services was warranted.

“Since opening its doors in August 2015, Townsville Private Clinic has seen continued demand for specialty mentalhealth services in Townsville and the greater North Queensland regions,” he said.

“Management is considering its expansion options to service the mental health needs of inpatients, day patients and outpatients into the future.”

Mr McGurrin said the facility’s psychiatrists indicated there was an increasing number of people who needed to access appointments with them, and there continued to be strong demand for the service.

“If needed, Townsville Private Clinic is in a position to expand services through to meet an increase in demand,” he said.

The application says the proposal will add an additional 14 beds to the existing 60- bed private hospital.