Outdated mental health facilities at Basildon hospital to be upgraded
Out of date mental health facilities at Basildon hospital will be upgraded, thanks to £400 million of government funding.
Dormitories will be replaced with single en-suite rooms.
It is hoped this will help to reduce the duration of patients' stays, as well as improving infection control.Health Secretary and West Suffolk MP Matt Hancock said it will improve safety and give patients the "dignity they deserve."
“Mental health staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to keep mental health services open 24/7 so that those most in need can continue to get vital support", Matt Hancock said.
“Not only will the new single rooms improve the individual care we can offer patients, they will provide a better environment for our hardworking staff too.”
The government says £400 million of funding will be committed across the country over the next four years to eradicate dormitory accommodation from mental health facilities. NHS England's National Mental Health Director Claire Murdoch said: “Millions of mental health patients are seen by the NHS every year, many thousands as inpatients, and each and every one of them should receive care in wards that are therapeutic and support their recovery, which is why this funding will be so vital."