Plans for a new $7 million private mental health facility for central Wagga have received the green light from decision-makers.
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The Southern Regional Planning Panel has approved the Riverina Clinic, a single-storey inpatient psychiatric centre with an attached outpatient clinic on Edward Street, near the intersection of Dobney avenue.
The development application, lodged in September 2020 by a Canberra-based architecture business, outlined an intention to provide Wagga patients with "true continuity of care".
"Patients will be able to see the same psychiatrist at each stage of their recovery journey, starting with the initial consultation following through admission and outpatient follow-up," the development proposal said.
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Plans for the clinic reveal it will cater for 16 inpatients and 12 outpatients and will have the capacity to provide treatments including electroconvulsive therapy.
Wagga councillor Dan Hayes, who sits on the Southern Regional Planning Panel, said he was pleased to have represented council in approving the project.
"I think as Wagga provides a service to the whole [Murrumbidgee] not just Wagga itself, we need to make sure the health services can meet that need," he said.
The planning proposal stated that Wagga residents have often had to travel to Albury, Wodonga or Canberra for private mental health services.
Wagga is currently home to only two private psychiatrists, one of whom who spends part of his time in Canberra, and no inpatient services outside of the public hospital's mental health unit.
Fly-in-fly-out doctors still provide the majority of Wagga's psychiatric care, including at the hospital and the Community Mental Health Service.
Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network senior manager mental health drug and alcohol Anita McRae welcomed the Riverina Clinic, saying it would alleviate demand on the public health system.
"I think the public health system does a great job within what they have available and I think what this will do is help reduce the strain," she said.
"I think it's great. It's great for people to have choice. Yes its a private facility, but people who want to enter private before have had to travel.
"It helps to remain connected with family and friends which is really beneficial."
Ms McRae expects there to be demand in the city for the private mental health treatments offered by the clinic.
"Hopefully they wont have any difficulties recruiting because it would be really good to see the service fully supported," she said.
"We have a really good mental health workforce in the region but we need to have a bit of a strategy [to recruit and retain staff]."
If you need support or are struggling with mental illness, please contact any of these crisis support helplines:
- Lifeline: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
- Kids Helpline (for people aged 5-25 years): 1800 55 1800 www.kidshelpline.com.au
- Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 www.beyondblue.org.au
- If you are in the Murrumbidgee, you can use this free online resource to locate services: mapmyrecovery.org.au OR call AccessLine: 1800 800 944