Plans finalised for temporary relocation of sub-acute mental health services during Bathurst Hospital's $200 million Redevelopment
Western NSW Local Health District has finalised plans for the temporary relocation of Panorama Clinic’s sub-acute mental health services during the $200 million Bathurst Hospital Redevelopment.
Panorama Clinic’s inpatient services will temporarily relocate to the Wattlegrove Unit at the Bloomfield Hospital campus in Orange on Friday 13 June 2025. Comprehensive plans to support the relocation have been developed in close consultation with staff, consumers and the community.
WNSWLHD Director of Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol services Helen McFarlane said planning has been carefully coordinated to minimise disruption, prioritise safety and continuity of care for clients of the service.
“Our highest priority throughout planning has been to ensure the best possible outcome for anyone who requires care – no matter where they live,” Ms McFarlane said.
“The feedback we received during consultations has been vital to our planning process. It has helped us identify and provide practical solutions to concerns raised by consumers, staff and the community.”
Some of the strategies in place to support the temporary relocation include:
- Coordination and provision of transport for staff, consumers, and identified users who may need it, to ensure access to Panorama Clinic’s services for people in the Bathurst area.
- Enhancing the Consultation Liaison Service to improve the connection between mental health and hospital services in Bathurst, including the Bathurst Hospital Emergency Department. The enhanced service will be permanent and include additional psychiatric cover, five days a week.
- Expanding community care pathways in consultation with the Western NSW Primary Health Network and supporting the establishment of Bathurst’s new Medicare Mental Health Centre.
WNSWLHD Clinical Director of Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol services Dr Scott Clark emphasised the importance of the services for people who need more support than is possible in the community but may not need acute mental health hospitalisation.
“The key clinical benefit of relocating to Wattlegrove is it allows us to effectively lift-and-shift. We are confident we can deliver the same type and level of services using an identical model of care to that currently used at Panorama Clinic,” Dr Clark said.
“Delivering as close to a like-for-like service as possible is incredibly important for our consumers, but also for our staff and services as it significantly streamlines the transition.
“We understand any temporary relocation will cause disruption, but I want to assure the community that no stone has been left unturned. Our clients will be able to access the same safe, high-quality care with as little inconvenience as possible.”
Consultation is ongoing with community-based mental health drug and alcohol service staff who will relocate to temporary locations on the Bathurst Hospital campus during the redevelopment project.
Mental health emergency and urgent care will continue to be provided through the Bathurst Hospital Emergency Department throughout the redevelopment. Existing referral pathways to all mental health services will also remain the same.
As planned, the Panorama Clinic and all community mental health, drug and alcohol services will return to a new and improved purpose-built facility on the Bathurst Health Service campus as part of the redevelopment.