Construction of new mental health unit begins as first spades break ground

Work to build a new £20 million mental health unit begun in earnest at the end of July as NHS staff and construction colleagues, along with local people who have lived experience of learning disabilities and autism, watched the first spades break ground.

The new facility will be based in Bristol and provide care and support for people with a learning disability or autism from across the northern half of the south west region.

It will be able to support up to 10 patients at any one time, with the building specifically intended for those whose needs cannot be met by existing hospital or community-based services.

With the doors expected to open in 2025, the unit will help keep people much closer to home and reduce the need for patients to be admitted to facilities far away from their family and friends.

Laura Ambler, Executive Lead for Learning Disabilities and Autism, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “I am delighted that after months of rigorous planning and working in partnership with local people and their families, work on this new unit is officially under way.

“When fully open in 2025, this site will be a fantastic addition to our existing mental health services, and I know from speaking with local people that having something like this based in our region will make an enormous difference to those who may have otherwise needed to have travelled significant distances for the right care and treatment.”