MEDIA STATEMENT: New secure mental health rehabilitation service for the Gold Coast 

New secure mental health rehabilitation service for the Gold Coast 

• Crisafulli Government opens the new Gold Coast Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit (SMHRU).
• The $122.7 million SMHRU was developed in collaboration with people with lived experience and staff.
• The Crisafulli Government is delivering on its commitment to provide Queenslanders with easier access to health services.    

The Crisafulli Government has officially opened the new $122.7 million Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit at the Gold Coast University Hospital, delivering on its commitment to provide easier access to health services for Queenslanders.  

The 40-bed live-in facility will provide specialist care for adults with complex mental health issues closer to home, as previously patients needed to seek care at facilities outside the Gold Coast.   

The facility will open in a staged approach and welcome its first patients from mid-March.

Labor failed to provide specialised care for some of the most vulnerable in the community, as a 2025 Productivity Commission Report on Government Services identified Queensland as having the lowest number of specialised mental health beds in the country.

The Crisafulli Government is delivering improved access to quality mental health care and crisis support for Queenslanders, with the delivery of two youth Step Up Step Down mental health facilities, more crisis support spaces, short stay beds, and a $50 million youth mental health boost, helping to bridge the transition between hospital and outpatient treatment.  

As part of the Easier Access to Health Services Plan, the Crisafulli Government will also deliver specialist mental health clinicians to emergency departments, so people are assessed and treated faster when they arrive at Queensland hospitals.    

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the Crisafulli Government had long acknowledged the emerging mental health crisis and the need to deliver more dedicated facilities. 

“The arrival of the Gold Coast Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit comes at a crucial time with demand for services rising,” Minister Nicholls said. 

“The Gold Coast facility, which aims to provides tailored mental health care to support patients in their smooth reintegration into the community, is a big step forward in helping to meet the growing demand for mental health care across the state.  

"This facility increases the total number of beds in Queensland while offering a more modern and supportive environment for patients, staff and their families, and the Crisafulli Government plans to deliver more dedicated facilities.” 

Gold Coast Health’s Clinical Director for Mental Health and Specialist Services Dr Sandeep Chand said the new secure unit offered a welcoming environment where natural light, secure outdoor spaces and a home-like atmosphere come together to promote healing and comfort. 

"The Gold Coast Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit was developed in collaboration with people who have lived experience, ensuring both the space and the model of care reflect the real needs of patients,” Dr Chand said. 

"Recovery from mental health challenges takes time, just like recovering from a physical injury.  

“What sets the SMHRU apart is its design and model of care specifically developed to address a critical gap in long-term rehabilitative mental health care, where our team will provide dedicated support for individuals living with severe and complex mental health conditions such as schizophrenia.  

"Ultimately, the goal of the SMHRU is to provide a space where individuals can heal, recover and rebuild their lives with dignity.”   

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Emma Morton 0410 657 890