Feb 09 - Ocean Views Adopts Holistic Approach to Mental Health
This weekend all service users of the KGV mental health facility were moved to their new residence at the recently completed Ocean Views facility located in the former Royal Naval Hospital building. Following on from a private tour of the premises for the press last week, the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, Health Minister Dr John Cortes, CEO of the GHA Freddie Pitto and Mental Health Services Unit General Manager Christopher Chipolina today spoke of their delight over the new facility.
The Chief Minister spoke of his regret over the length of time taken to complete the facility; with works having started soon after the Allience took office, in early 2012. He insisted however that it was integral to revise the original designs proposed by the former administration and they ‘couldn’t afford to get anything wrong’.
Dr. Cortes insisted that the informal launch of the state of the art facility was his proudest moment in Government, adding that if nothing else came of his political career, this project has made it entirely worthwhile. The Ministers spoke of their visit to KGV soon after their election to Government, with their disbelief in the state of the building giving them the initiative to put this project at the forefront of their work in Government.
With the new facility pledging to bring a new way of delivering treatment to patients, Dr. Cortes suggested that they would be breaking the negative stigma attached to mental health. Mr. Chipolina told YGTV that the facility would offer a new recovery model with an ethos to support the wider community by expanding their community services. They aim to look at and treat patients holistically with a focus of integrating them back into the community via sheltered employment schemes and the use of the Facility’s ‘Rockside Flats’ floor that offers a home to those service users on the road to recovery. The department will also work more closely with the Clubhouse Project.
