The Tupuna mental health unit at Christchurch's Hillmorton Hospital is due to close amid ongoing staff shortages, with the building to be "refreshed" and ready to accommodate new patients from next August.
It follows an "extensive consultation process" with feedback from 47 submitters, Te Whatu Ora's Canterbury general manager specialist mental health service, Dr Greg Hamilton, said today in a statement.
The inpatient extended care unit currently provides 24-hour care and support for people with mental health issues who require longer term inpatient stays.
"Staff and the nine tāngata whaiora (people seeking wellness) currently receiving care and support at Tupuna have been informed of this decision," Hamilton said.
"The focus is now on supporting staff to transition to new roles within the Specialist Mental Health Service and working closely with tāngata whaiora and their whānau to find alternative care and support options both in the community or in other inpatient services."
Hamilton said there is "no fixed timeframe" for the patients, but their move is expected to take place "over the coming weeks to ensure services are well matched to people's needs".
He said Tupuna's bed numbers reduced this year amid staff shortages. The unit currently has around 13.6 full-time staff, and had been reliant on casual staff and nurses taking on additional duties to keep it operating.
"Despite staff's best efforts we acknowledge that we haven't been able to provide consistent staffing due to workforce challenges that are impacting all our services," he said.
"Once closed, the building where Tupuna is located will be refreshed and it's expected to be ready to accommodate up to 16 patients by the end of August 2023 in a more contemporary environment."
Work is still underway to determine the "new model of care" for acute inpatients "across the continuum of adult care".
The unit, once refurbished, is expected to continue as one of three inpatient facilities on the campus for people seeking adult inpatient care, Hamilton said.
It comes after the Government this week earmarked $51 million in funding for a new 80-bed adult inpatient unit set to replace the existing Te Awakura unit.
In addition, work on Building 12, which will be housing adult inpatients moving from The Princess Margaret Hospital, "is progressing well and on track for completion next year".
"These two buildings, along with Building 8 (currently housing Tupuna) will provide three facilities on the Hillmorton Campus for adult inpatients that will help transform and improve the experience of tangata whaiora receiving inpatient care," he said.
Along with "modern, fit for purpose inpatient beds", people will also be able to access "intensive support in the community including inpatient alternative such as home-based treatment, community-based respite and peer-led alternatives".
"There are a number of new and developing initiatives underway to improve access to mental health and wellbeing support in the community and develop this integration, including the general practice-based Te Tumu Waiora (with almost 60 FTE of health improvement practitioners, health coaches and support workers)."
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