Mental Health Services

A £143 million project to build a new centre for mental health at Antrim Area Hospital has taken a step closer, with planning approval for the scheme now granted.

Birch Hill Centre for Mental Health will be built on Bush Road, on lands to the south of Antrim Area Hospital. It is expected to be complete by late 2028.

The new development will centralise the Northern Trust’s inpatient mental health services in modern, purpose-built accommodation, replacing the current provision at Holywell Hospital and the Ross Thomson Unit at Causeway Hospital.

Within the Northern Trust area and across Northern Ireland, providing high quality mental health care is a pressing necessity. Our proposals for a new centre for mental health at Antrim will see the Northern Trust’s enormous expertise concentrated in state-of-the-art, purpose-built surroundings, providing the best possible environment for assessment, treatment and recovery.

The new facilities will provide 134 single-occupancy ground-floor ensuite rooms for patients, giving direct access to safe outdoor space and facilitating ease of movement between departments, as outlined in the video below.

Links to nature and views towards the neighbouring countryside have been prioritised, to ensure the best possible environment to support recovery. The building design also prioritises sustainable design principles to ensure the building’s performance is more energy efficient. It will also help to reduce operating costs, supporting net carbon zero targets.

Co-production has been integral to how we’ve developed our plans for Birch Hill.

Staff have worked very closely with our service users throughout the entire design process. Listening to our service users and carers has been vital as they are best placed to advise on what support and services will make a positive difference to their lives.

Improving the experience and outcomes for our patients and service users is at the heart of the centre’s design, and this will be a fantastic new facility allowing us to provide the highest standards of compassionate care with our community, in our community.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the new centre for mental health needed?

Northern Ireland has the highest prevalence of mental health problems in the UK, stemming from both the legacy of the Troubles and a range of wider socio-economic factors (Department of Health, Northern Ireland Mental Health Strategy 2021-31).

Dealing with this pressing issue requires bold steps and substantial investment, as set out in Northern Ireland’s Mental Health Strategy 2021-31. This strategy outlines a funding plan to create three new Mental Health Inpatient units to deliver state-of-the-art therapies and treatments.

The new Birch Hill Centre for Mental Health will be one of these projects. By providing new, purpose-built accommodation, we will be able to build a world-class service to benefit people right across the Trust and the wider region.

Existing Trust Mental Health provision at Holywell Hospital and Causeway Hospital (Ross Thomson Unit) have served the Trust well. Today, neither building supports the delivery of excellent mental health care and in order to enhance our service they will both be relocated to the Antrim Hospital site.

Who will be treated in the new Centre for mental health?

The Centre for Mental Health will provide assessment and treatment to people 18 years of age and over who are experiencing acute mental illness. This new facility will offer single bedroom, modern, fit for purpose facilities for these patients.

If catering for patients presenting with a risk of harm to self or others, what measures will be put in place to ensure safety?

Safety is of paramount importance in all of our healthcare settings. We strive to provide people who need our services with high-quality care in a way that is respectful and safe. Our staff are highly trained and skilled and safety for all is a key principle in design of our new hospital.