Inside the new Mental Health Lounge at Logan Hospital it’s quiet and calm, and feels a world away from the busy Emergency Department wrapped around it.

This unique, one-of-a-kind mental health unit located in the centre of the state’s third busiest ED is already providing exactly what it was designed to deliver since it opened last month.

The $1.5 million unit—constructed within an existing courtyard—has been designed as a dedicated space for patients experiencing mental health concerns to receive specialised, coordinated care in a spacious and  calming environment.

It features a patient lounge, consultation rooms, staff station and access to an outside area, and  is supported by 25 additional staff including doctors, nurses, health professionals and support  staff.

Since it opened in March, staff and patients have reported early positive results, saying the space  has made a world of difference for people experiencing mental health concerns.

The unit has a unique model of care, designed in consultation with the Logan community and hospital  staff, which ensures both a patient’s physical and mental health needs remain a priority.

Patients receive care from a team of nursing, medical and allied health professionals, as well as  the necessary referrals to addiction, mental health and other services they may need.

The Mental Health Lounge is the second new unit to open at Logan Hospital in 2020 and is part of a major expansion of the hospital which will deliver an additional 206 beds and treatment spaces in the coming years.