• A new $31.1 million mental health facility at Gisborne Hospital will open by January 2025.
• The facility includes 10 beds, focusing on prevention and early intervention for mental health and addiction.
• Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey highlighted the importance of therapeutic care and increased access.

A new multimillion-dollar acute mental health and addiction care facility at Gisborne Hospital with increased capacity for early intervention will be fully staffed and operating by January 2025.

Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey described himself as “privileged” when he opened Te Whare Āwhi Ora on Wednesday morning.

The previous eight-bed facility has been replaced by a $31.1 million unit comprising 10 beds, five general ward rooms, three high-dependency rooms and two short-stay rooms.

“It’s really important for the community to have a whare like this which is a building that will provide therapeutic care,” Doocey told the Gisborne Herald.

For too long in New Zealand with mental health facilities, “you would walk in and actually scratch your head at the idea that the complex was built to help get someone well”, he said.

“Now we have a purpose-built facility that is around therapeutic outcomes.

“That allows people to not necessarily wait until they become extremely unwell. They can come into a whare like this to keep them well. It’s more about prevention and early intervention.

“Some individuals with lifelong and enduring mental illness, they have learned about their illness and actually learned the signs of becoming unwell.... a whare like this provides a therapeutic space where they can come and keep themselves well.”

In his opening speech, Doocey said: “I have been clear that we need to build a strong mental health and addiction system that spans prevention, early intervention, primary mental health services and specialist services”.

Increasing access to mental health and addiction support was a priority for the Government.

“Upgrading our mental health infrastructure and increasing bed numbers is central to this.”

Doocey acknowledged that Te Whare Awhi Ora had been originally proposed and developed by the previous Labour Government.

It was one of five projects funded out of Budget 2019’s $1.9 billion investment into mental wellbeing.

Hauora Tairāwhiti group director of operations John Swiatczak said the unit would open in January and there were no issues with staffing requirements.

He described the new facility as “a milestone that reflects our commitment to providing the best care for the people in our community”.

“People who deserve spaces which not only meet their physical needs but also offer a place of comfort, hope, and healing. We hope it will be a place where you can focus on healing, surrounded by the very best support systems and people”.

Countless hours of planning, innovation, and teamwork went into the facility, Swiatczak said.

“I want to thank the dedicated staff who have made our vision a reality. Your commitment to excellence has transformed this unit into a place we at Tairāwhiti are very proud of.”

Te Whare Āwhi Ora is largely built on the site formerly occupied by the maternity hospital known in its last years as the Morris-Adair Building.