A major milestone in mental health care has been reached for Wangaratta and surrounds, with the completion of a significant infrastructure upgrade to the Kerferd Intensive Care Area (ICA).
Delivered in partnership with Albury Wodonga Health (AWH), the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA), and Keystone Building Group, the redevelopment marks a transformative step toward safer, more dignified and recovery-focused environments for adults receiving acute mental health support.
AWH Allied Health and Mental Health chief operating officer, Alana Jacob, said the upgrade represents a strategic investment in the future of mental health care.
"It reflects our commitment to embedding trauma-informed design into our infrastructure and ensuring our environment supports the recovery, dignity and safety of every person in our care," she said.
"We are deeply grateful to VHBA for their support in turning this project into a reality.”
The upgraded ICA has been purpose-built to support trauma-informed and gender-sensitive care, with features designed to enhance privacy, safety and therapeutic engagement.
These include:
- private bedroom ensuites for dignity and security;
- consumer-controlled swipe card access to bedrooms, promoting autonomy;
- redesigned seclusion spaces for safer, more therapeutic management;
- dedicated family meeting room to strengthen engagement; and
- expanded therapeutic areas supporting recovery-focused practice.
The project responds directly to a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, which calls for improved gender-based safety and consumer autonomy in inpatient care settings.
The completion of the ICA upgrades was celebrated last Thursday, 11 September with representatives from the Department of Health, including deputy secretary of Mental Health and Wellbeing Pam Anders, members of the executive teams of AWH, Northeast Health Wangaratta and Gateway Health, project partners, clinical staff members and communitive representatives.
Attendees were given guided tours of the redeveloped ICA, allowing guests to experience firsthand the features designed to support safety, dignity and recovery.
Ms Anders said the investment is part of a statewide reform program aimed at modernising care and increasing capacity.
"It's not just about uplifting workforce and capacity, but also looking to upgrade facilities and increase the capacity facilities so we can bring mental health into a the 21st century in terms of contemporary care," she said.
"We also know there's significant demand on services, so it's about transforming the existing system and and growing it as well.
"A real focus of the program is not just about the access to services, but it's about equality.
"It's about increasing more equitable access across the state, where there is fast growing populations and the system hasn't kept up.
"There are different requirements that need to be met to provide the care communities need in regional areas."
The upgraded ICA began operation this week, with clinical teams supporting consumers in a space that reflects the evolving standards of contemporary, consumer-centred mental health care.
Kerferd Unit nurse unit manager, Jessica Johnson, said staff were ready to use these new features in a way that enhances therapeutic relationships with consumers.
“This space has been designed with purpose, and we’re proud to be part of a service that puts consumer experience at the centre," she said.
AWH director of nursing, mental health and wellbeing, Matthew Grace, said the inclusion of private ensuites and consumer-controlled access reflects their commitment to
listening to consumer feedback and implementing best practice standards.
"It represents a significant step forward in delivering care that is safe, gender-sensitive, and recovery-focused," he said.
“By creating a more respectful and private environment, we are reinforcing our dedication to person-centred care and ensuring that individuals feel valued, safe, and supported throughout their recovery journey.”