The Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, T.D. has turned the sod on the new Adult Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Facility to be built on the Beaumont Hospital campus in Dublin.

The new unit is being developed by the HSE in co-operation with Beaumont Hospital and on completion will be managed by HSE North Dublin Mental Health Services. It will include inpatient accommodation to replace services historically provided in St. Ita's Hospital, Portrane and will serve a population of approximately 250,000 people in the North Dublin area.

The new facility will comprise of 44 beds, all single room accommodation, 38 for General Acute Psychiatry and 6 for Old Age Psychiatry. The unit will have four zoned areas; general adult, high observation, psychiatry of old age and a day activity area. There will also be five internal gardens as well as a courtyard, all of which have been designed to enable patients to avail of different activities and spaces.

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The total cost, including enabling and ancillary works, will be €13m and construction is scheduled for completion by the second quarter of 2013. Funding for the unit has been provided under the HSE's Capital Plan for the development of psychiatric services nationally.

The building of this new unit is in line with national mental health policy 'A Vision for Change' and particularly the recommendation that acute mental health treatment should be provided on the site of a general hospital where patients can avail of a wide range of services and treatments. The unit will provide academic training and continuing professional education for medical, nursing and allied health care professionals.

(CD)