The new unit

Years ago, when I still was employed permanently by this DHB, there was talk about needing to replace the inpatient mental health unit at North Shore Hospital. From the early 1990s it has been housed in a not very well modified old maternity annex. The Board was always reluctant to spend money on a purpose built, and appropriate unit for the mentally ill. Well more than ten years after my involvement in the discussions, the politicians turned the first sod and the building began in March.

Somewhat uniquely for New Zealand this building will be connected to the main hospital block, while remaining a separate entity. The only way that could be accommodated on the main hospital site, was to use this space. The haziness in the photo is due to me not getting the small compact close enough to the window through which I took this shot. Consequently, it may be hard to pick out the small dark brick building just beyond the building site. That building is part of the adjacent Carmel College, a private school for girls. Negotiations with the school, and the parents' groups had considerably delayed the start of building.

I do hope this new building has a longer functional life than many of the other new units erected in NZ in the last 25 - 30 years.