Contractors appointed to deliver mental health beds expansion program

Modular contractors Modscape and Grove have been appointed to deliver three new acute mental health facilities in Epping, Geelong and St Albans.

Delivering 98 beds, the three new facilities will be located at:

• Barwon Health’s McKellar Centre (16 beds, delivered by Modscape)
• Western Health’s Sunshine Hospital (52 beds, delivered by Grove)
• Northern Health’s Northern Hospital (30 beds, delivered by Modscape).

The facilities will increase capacity and reduce pressure on emergency departments. They'll also provide extra support for people experiencing mental illness who need immediate treatment.

The new facilities have been co-designed with people who have lived experience of Victoria’s mental health system.

Modular construction is a process where a building is constructed off-site and then delivered and reconstructed onsite. The modules will be manufactured in Brooklyn and Packenham – creating and sustaining 231 jobs.

About the mental health beds expansion program

The facilities are part of the $492 million Mental health beds expansion program which is in response to a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

Lendlease Building is the program’s managing contractor and will oversee onsite construction works.

A traditional build and refurbishment for a 22-bed facility will also be delivered at the Royal Melbourne Hospital as part of the program.

Once complete, the four new facilities will provide an additional 43,000 days of hospital care. This will enable 2,500 more Victorians to access vital mental health services every year in a contemporary, safe, and high-quality setting.

Learn more about the Mental health beds expansion program via our dedicated project page.