Minister visits new £8million mental health unit in Dundee

Mental Health Minister, Jamie Hepburn, has visited a new £8 million unit for child and adolescent mental health in Dundee on Friday.

The Young People’s Unit provides a 12 bed inpatient unit, including family accommodation for parents. It provides specialist care to young people from across the north of Scotland. All bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and there is a private outdoor space, education facility and a gym.

Mr Hepburn met patients and staff and toured the new facilities. The unit is based on the site of the previous Young People’s Unit in Dudhope Terrace. Young people from the previous unit were involved in the design of the new building.

The new unit is a partnership between NHS Tayside, Grampian, Highland, Orkney and Shetland, who have come together to form the North of Scotland Regional Child and Adolescent Mental Health service project. By working together the five boards have developed a specialist network for young people with mental health problems.

Mr Hepburn said: “The new Young People’s Unit in Dundee is an outstanding new building which is providing top quality specialist care. Young people from the previous unit, and staff, have been closely involved in the design, and that means the new facility is properly tailored to their needs, with a gym, en suite bathrooms and accommodation for parents.

“The family accommodation is particularly important because it makes it much easier for young patients to settle in and feel comfortable during their stay.

“It’s important that people who are having problems with their mental health feel that they can come forward and ask for help, whatever their age. The Young People’s Unit provides a treatment option for those with more severe or complex problems, and will help many young people on the road to a full and lasting recovery.”

NHS Tayside Vice Chair Doug Cross said, “The new unit will ensure that young people from across the north of Scotland will have access to a first-class facility where they can get the tailored treatment and support they require.

“This project between the five Health Boards is a great example of what can be achieved when we work together in the best interests of our patients.”

The Scottish Government recently announced an additional £100 million investment in mental health. Spread over five years, it will be used partly to further improve child and adolescent mental health services across Scotland. The funding will also be used to extend access to psychological therapies, create better responses to mental health in primary care, promote wellbeing through physical activity, and improve patient rights.