Update on Fieldhead master plan

£17m investment in mental health services for local people continues to progress.

Our new adult acute mental health centre at Fieldhead Hospital in Wakefield opened in September 2017. The Unity Centre has been purpose-built and treats patients from across our geographical footprint. It incorporates the Stanley male adult acute mental health ward and Walton psychiatric intensive care ward. There is also a new section 136 suite.

That was the end of our first major phase of building works. The next phase is now underway with the main entrance/visitor centre and Nostell ward due to open in Summer 2018 with the full refurbishment of Priory to follow for the new fit-for-purpose Chantry ward.

Since the first phase of the Unity Centre’s completion, the Trinity building has been demolished and significant obstructions in the ground have been removed. Drainage diversions have been undertaken and are now complete as well as piling for the new foundations. The steel frame for the plant room is also now finished.

Currently, groundworks are underway and the ground floor slabs will be complete by mid-March. Masonry has just started on site. Steel for the main entrance steel is expected to arrive at the end of March. Works on the roof will commence after Easter, which will, in turn, allow the fit-out of the building to start.

Tim Mellard, practice governance coach for the Wakefield acute care pathway, said: “This building is a multi-million-pound investment by the trust and highlights our commitment to the local area and providing patients with high-quality care. Everyone loves the new centre. Our service users are benefitting from state-of-the-art therapeutic areas, en-suite bathrooms and vastly improved relaxation areas to help them on their journey to recovery.”

The Unity Centre has been built by the Trust’s contractor Interserve. The project has been funded entirely using money from the Trust’s reserves and we are not tied to any maintenance contracts.