New adolescent mental health facility for Queensland to be built at Prince Charles Hospital

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today announced that a new bed-based extended treatment and rehabilitation facility for young people, recommended by the Commission of Inquiry into the Barrett Adolescent Centre, will be built at The Prince Charles Hospital campus in Brisbane. 

“We promised to implement the recommendation of the Commission of Inquiry regarding a new facility, and the campus of Prince Charles Hospital is the ideal location, near schools, transport and recreation,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“The Prince Charles Hospital is one of Queensland’s best, with a strong research culture and long history of providing mental health services.

“We will now work with consumers and families, including those directly associated with the former Barrett Adolescent Centre to ensure we are delivering care that meets the community’s current and future needs.

“Over the coming months, we will work closely with experts, families and consumers to define the specific design of the facility.

“The LNP Government was told by patients, by families, by experts that it needed to build this facility, but they did not listen.

“We are listening and we are delivering for young Queenslanders who need this facility.”

Construction of the facility will begin in 2017. 

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick said the Commission of Inquiry identified the need for a new bed-based extended treatment and rehabilitation centre for young people living with severe and complex mental health issues.

“While we are building a new centre, it’s important to note we are not simply replicating the Barrett Centre, we are developing a new model of care that will support at-risk Queensland adolescents in the most appropriate way,” he said.

“To do this, we’ll be working very closely with the individuals and families associated with the former Barrett Centre as their ongoing involvement is integral to the development of this new service model.

“Evidence shows these young people need access to a suite of treatment and rehabilitation options across the continuum of care to enable them to move between levels of service.

“The levels of care will reflect changes in the acuity, severity and complexity of their mental illness and associated needs at any time.

“This new facility is essential, but it’s just one part of a broader plan to reform and improve services for young people”

“We are allocating 25 per cent of our $350 million five year plan for mental health, alcohol and drug services, Connecting Care to Recovery towards new services for children and young people.

“We will also be putting new community based youth mental health teams on the ground across Queensland, building on additional youth residential rehabilitation services we have already opened in Townsville. 

Mr Dick said the new facility would add to the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to make Queenslanders among the healthiest in the world by 2026, as detailed in the government’s 10-year vision for health, My health, Queensland’s future: Advancing Health 2026.

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