The 16-bed transitional unit for elderly dementia patients is shifting to the David Morgan Centre at Kenmore.

While the move was mooted earlier in the year by the Local Health District, some have lingering concerns about the loss of mental health beds from Goulburn. 

A spokesperson from the Southern NSW Local Health District confirmed three clients from Giles Court were moving to Kenmore. 

The spokesperson said the move would not result in the loss of any jobs or any mental health beds. 

“All 16 Giles Court beds are moving, therefore there will be not be a loss of bed numbers. The beds in Giles Court are not declared under the Mental Health Act,” he said. 

“The beds will continue to provide a specialist service for the assessment and management of complex behaviour associated with dementia and mental illness.

“They will be located adjacent to the aged mental health beds at Kenmore, which will result in improved clinical services with aged mental health and dementia clinicians and specialists, all on the one site providing integrated care. 

“The new location also provides an improvement in the physical facilities and patient amenity.”

The spokesperson said the Local Health District had consulted with families and the community before the move.

“Relevant families have been made aware of the move and have been kept up to date with the plans via discussions with local staff,” he said. “All families are happy with the engagement and proposal and local staff have been discussing the planned move for some time with families.”

He said the brain injury unit was not relocating, despite previous notification that it was. 

“The brain injury unit is not being relocated at this stage. This is following consultation with a number of stakeholders,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Goulburn District Unions president Anna Wurth-Crawford said she had concerns about it.

“My concern is that we don’t lose any mental health beds from Goulburn,” she said.