Healthscope investing over $80 million in mental health facilities and support for Australians

9 October 2020

On the eve of World Mental Health Day on 10th October, Healthscope has flagged an $80 million investment to tackle the growing demand among Australians for mental health support and treatment.

Healthscope CEO Steven Rubic said its 11 mental health facilities have already been seeing rising demand prior to COVID-19, a situation further exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic.

“Our $80 million investment across three of our facilities will deliver a major expansion of our mental health bed capacity and services, reducing waiting lists for treatment and expanding the range of services on offer,” Mr Rubic said.

The $50 million update of The Victoria Clinic, located in Prahran, Victoria will more than double its capacity, growing from 52 to 115 beds, along with 20 new consulting suites and a range of additional services. The Clinic will also be recruiting an additional 15 psychiatrists and 200 staff.

A $16 million redevelopment underway at Healthscope’s Geelong Clinic will add an additional 21 beds and seven new consulting suites to the facility, and help meet the growing need for mental health services across the greater Geelong region.

Healthscope will also be opening the Northern Territory’s first private mental health facility in February 2021, via the $16 million development of The Darwin Clinic, located at Darwin Private Hospital. The investment will deliver a purpose-built 18 bed facility offering both inpatient and outpatient services.

Mr Rubic said that while these expansions were planned before the COVID pandemic struck, their need has become even more apparent over the course of 2020.

“Our mental health facilities across the country have all experienced substantial increases in both the number of people seeking treatment, and in the underlying severity of the issues being experienced,” Mr Rubic said.

“This includes increased levels of self-harm and attempted suicide, substance and alcohol abuse, and patients presenting with their first mental health illness – all of which our clinicians are identifying as the direct results of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We are continuing to look at ways our facilities can lift their capacity to meet these growing areas of need. And as we have done throughout the pandemic, we will continue to collaborate with Federal and State governments on ways to help protect the mental health of Australians as we move towards ‘COVID-normal’ settings across the country.”