A new £17.9m mental health unit for children and young people has opened in Bournemouth.
The building was designed by Medical Architecture and constructed by Kier Construction.
Planning approval was granted in 2023, with construction beginning in 2024.
The facility, called Seastone, has been developed by Dorset HealthCare and will provide specialist inpatient treatment for patients aged 13 to 18 with severe mental health conditions requiring intensive support.
The facility includes 8 inpatient beds, day spaces, a two-classroom school facility, treatment spaces, a tribunal room, seclusion room, de-escalation room, sensory rooms, family visiting facilities, and an extra-care suite.
Located at the trust's child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) site on Alumhurst Road, the eight-bed unit has been designed to care for young people whose needs cannot be met within standard CAMHS inpatient settings.
The development forms part of a wider £70.6m investment in mental health infrastructure across Dorset and was funded through the government's New Hospital Programme.
As one of the early projects within the New Hospital Programme, the scheme has also helped inform future projects through its approach to buildability and room standardisation.
The building is positioned on an existing plateau on the steeply sloping woodland site, elevating the patient accommodation to create a direct connection with the surrounding tree canopies.
A large central courtyard forms the heart of the patient accommodation, while day spaces including a television room, games room and lounge are arranged around the courtyard to maximise views of the surrounding woodland.
The ensuite bedrooms provide young patients with a private sanctuary, with large secure windows, generous window seats and views across the biodiverse landscape.
Bespoke built-in joinery incorporates safety and robustness requirements while providing space for personal belongings.
A large photovoltaic array will generate at least 53,000 kWh annually, with the building also targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.
A structured co-production process brought together clinical teams, estates representatives, peer specialists, existing service users, local residents and members of the public, with additional input from the National Development Team for Inclusion.
Feedback from the engagement process informed the separation of private and communal spaces, the use of calm transition areas and the provision of sanctuary spaces throughout the building.
The project team navigated a complex site and technically challenging build, including a steep gradient and a live hospital environment, to create the new facility.
Seastone is the third project Kier has completed for Dorset HealthCare in the last three years.
Chaddesley House, at St Ann’s Hospital in Poole, was also constructed by Kier and opened earlier this month to increase capacity and enhance services for local adults needing intensive treatment.
“We’re delighted to see the opening of the Alumhurst Road children’s mental health unit as part of the New Hospital Programme, which will provide excellent care and new child and adolescent mental services for the South West,” said Charlotte Taylor CBE, Joint Senior Responsible Officer for the New Hospital Programme.
