Plans for a purpose-built unit in Dundee for young people with mental health problems have received initial approval from the Scottish Government.
The young people’s unit (YPU) is to be on the site of the existing YPU at Dudhope Terrace and will include a 12-bed inpatient unit with an education facility and family accommodation.
The North of Scotland Regional Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service project is a partnership between Tayside, Grampian, Highland, Orkney and Shetland NHS Boards, which has established a specialist network for young people with complex mental health problems.
The project’s outline has been approved by all five health boards and the Scottish Government, and the project team is developing a business case for construction to begin this summer.
Health Secretary Alex Neil said: “Having the right facilities in the right place is important to people across Scotland, and this purpose-built facility will be a prime example of how continued investment in our NHS is benefiting patients.
“Investment in health is a top priority for the Scottish Government and we have committed to spending more than £2 billion on improving NHS infrastructure over four years.”
NHS Tayside deputy chief executive Caroline Selkirk said: “We are extremely pleased that we are now one step closer to starting work on the new unit at Dudhope Terrace.
“There has been a huge amount of input into this project from the five boards involved, as well as from young people and their families, to design a fit-for-purpose unit for young people from across the North of Scotland.”
The project team has worked closely with the design team for the YPU. Young people from the current unit have given their views on the design and will continue to be involved during its development.
The initial works have included felling diseased and dying trees, and the new development allows significant new planting to provide a range of new long-term specimens and increase the mix of size, age and native species of trees in the woodland.
The proposals are designed to complement existing trees that will be retained, and create a carefully balanced combination that helps integrate the new building within the site.
They were developed following a comprehensive tree survey and a 10-year tree and woodland management plan was prepared to help ensure the active management and development of the new resource. An ecology survey was carried out, which found there was no evidence of nesting birds, roosting bats or any other protected species on the site however, NHS Tayside will install bat boxes to mitigate the loss of any roosting potential.
The felling of trees had caused some consternation in the area, with neighbour Frances Morrison critical that so many of the trees in a conservation area and subject to a tree preservation order had been taken down.