The first phase of the two-phase transformation project at the main mental health facility of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has been completed, with work on phase two now underway. Phase one includes the facility’s modern new entrance, an expanded car park and a spacious office block.

Once complete, phase two of the transformation project will see the development of a purpose-built 65-bed extension with single en suite rooms and the redevelopment of the current building to provide an additional 31 beds plus a central activity and education space.

Mahmoud Al Raisi, Chief of Continuing Care at HMC, said they are delighted to see the progress being made on the transformation project at their Salwa Road facility.

Providing access to high-quality mental health services is a key priority of Qatar’s National Health Strategy 2018 to 2022 and it is essential that our expert mental health teams are able to deliver care to patients in advanced facilities.

Al Raisi added that the completion of the project by early 2022 will result in significantly expanded capacity at Qatar’s main facility for specialist mental health services while also ensuring patients are cared for in a modern environment that is more conducive to healing.

HMC’s main mental health facility provides a range of specialist inpatient and outpatient services for people requiring treatment in acute and sub-acute phases.

According to Dr Majid Al Abdulla, Chairman of HMC’s Mental Health Service, they have worked hard in recent years to expand the number of mental health services delivered across the HMC hospital network.

We now run Consultation Liaison Services in all HMC hospitals as well as Integrated Physical and Mental Health Clinics in multiple locations.

We have also opened beds for patients requiring mental health care in our general hospitals to improve access and integrate mental health services with physical healthcare services. This will decrease the stigma and improve awareness about mental health between healthcare professionals.

In addition to the expansion of services across the system, they also recently started expanding and upgrading their existing facilities. The project will upgrade the inpatient facility and almost double the capacity. It will also provide a more pleasant and healing environment with green space to match international standards.

These new developments are supported by expert mental health specialists so that patients can receive the care they need in the best possible healthcare environment, added Dr Al Abdulla.

One of their main target is to establish dedicated services for specialist groups of patients, including forensic patients, those with learning disabilities, children and adolescents and chronic long-term patients. Dr Al Abdulla said that this will allow them to provide services in a more appropriate environment that is separate from the main patient group, tailored in a way that will suit the patient’s specific needs and expectations.