Upgraded mental health facilities at Werribee Mercy Hospital

Communities in Melbourne’s west now have access to improved mental health facilities at the Werribee Mercy Hospital.

An upgrade of the Mother and Baby Unit at the Werribee Mercy Hospital is now complete. The project has delivered:

• a new lounge area and sub-lounge with accessible courtyard
• a dedicated breastfeeding room
• upgraded courtyards with landscaping
• upgraded bedroom doors to enhance safety and privacy.

The Mother and Baby Unit at the Werribee Mercy Hospital provides specialist inpatient care for women requiring psychiatric treatment in the first year after childbirth, supporting them to remain with their babies while receiving the care they need.

The Mental Health Intensive Care Area for adults at the Werribee Mercy Hospital has also been upgraded. The project has delivered:

• reconfigured bedrooms with improved zoning for male and female consumers
• a new activity room
• improved outdoor areas
• improved entryway
• new finishes, furniture, and sensory equipment throughout the facility.

The enhanced facilities will ensure people experiencing acute mental health challenges can access safe, modern care close to home.

These upgrades are part of the Victorian Government’s $61.1 million investment to improve safety and amenity across 24 Mental Health Intensive Care Areas (MHICAs), delivered in response to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

Upgrading Mental Health Intensive Care Areas across the state

We’re upgrading 24 Mental Health Intensive Care Areas across the state.

These upgrades will make mental health facilities safer – responding to a key recommendation from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

Mental Health Intensive Care Areas are discrete spaces within a mental health acute inpatient unit. They are dedicated to the safe treatment of people with increased risk and vulnerability.

The $61.1 million investment is supporting the redesign or upgrade of 24 existing acute Mental Health Intensive Care Areas to ensure they are fit-for-purpose, including:

• reconfiguring bedrooms so they have their own ensuite - this supports gender safety
• reconfiguring key spaces to improve visibility
• creating secure indoor and outdoor spaces. This can include gender-specific lounge areas, sensory rooms and kitchenettes.

As of September 2025, upgrades are complete at 16 Mental Health Intensive Care Areas, including the Mother and Baby Unit and Intensive Care Area for adults at the Werribee Mercy Hospital.