Garry Coff Consulting Services has provided specialist advice to a number of Hospitals throughout Australia developing Psychiatric services and requiring assistance to establish safe areas for the management of violent and aggressive clients.
Garry has recently been involved the provision of Health Facility Planning support to the Brisbane Office of Woodhead Architects in the planning of:
- extensive alterations to the Medium Secure Forensic Mental Health Unit at Townsville Base Hospital to create a culturally appropriate environment for the predominantly indigenous occupants of the facility, with recovery pathways to prepare clients for their return to the Community: and
- the establishment of a new 6 bed Child & Adolescent Mental Health Unit in Townsville.
He assisted the Queensland Department of Mental Health in the conduct of Post Documentation Design Reviews of facility alterations projects for upgrading of Medium Secure Mental Health Units at:
- The Parks, Psychiatric Hospital, in Brisbane; and
- Caboolture Medium Secure Mental Health Unit at Caboolture Hospital.
South Australian Mental Health Services
Garry has been involved with the preparation of Briefing Documentation and concept planning for the South Australian Mental Health Service since 1986 when redevelopment of the Hillcrest Hospital was proposed. He was involved in the development of concept planning solutions for the devolution of Hillcrest and had a major role in the planning of facilities resulting from the closure of the hospital including:
- The upgrade of the High Level Intensive Care Facilities for Acute inpatients (Brentwood House Redevelopment). The unit operated as the Statewide High level care service and required extensive development of security and safety standards for the safe management of highly agitated and violent clients including specialised construction standards and materials specifications throughout the facility;
- Reviews of Ward Configuration and accommodation for both Acute and Psycho-Geriatric Nursing units at Glenside Hospital;
- Redesign of administrative and support units of the hospital;
- Proposals for the alterations and extension to James Nash House, the State Forensic Psychiatric Unit on the Hillcrest Hospital site adjacent to Yatala Labour Prison;
- Outreach accommodation for Community based teams providing support to outpatients living in the general community;
- Noarlunga Acute Inpatient Unit within the wards of the General hospital, incorporating a 5 bed closed (secure) area.( 25 beds);
- Lyell McEwin Acute temporary Inpatient unit within Ward 9 of the old Hospital, incorporating a 5 bed closed(secure) area ( 25 beds);
- Western Outreach accommodation at Port Adelaide and Semaphore;
- Modification to Psycho-Geriatric Facilities at both Glenside and Hillcrest Hospitals;
- Eastern Area Acute Inpatient Unit (Cleland House Upgrading);
- Western Region Acute Inpatient Unit proposals;
- Proposals for Family Unit accommodation at Glenside Hospital;
- Specialist Dementia Care Units in a number of Rural Hospitals supporting High Care Aged Care residents including Karoonda, Tailem Bend, Mannum and Meningie.
Upgrade of the Townsville Medium Secure Mental Hea
lth Facility (2009)
Garry Coff Consulting Services assisted Woodhead Architects in the Concept Planning and Design for the redevelopment of a Medium Secure Mental Health Unit on the site of the Townsville Hospital to meet a new Service Model for Medium Secure Units that had been prepared by Queensland Health.
The proposals include extensive modification of the existing buildings and an increase in floor area of around 50% to address a number of inadequacies in the original design of the facility. The upgrade was programmed for completion in early 2011 but is currently expected by mid 2013.
Referees: Dr. Terry Carter
MHPWC Project Manager
Project Services
Tel 0419 716 811
