St Mary’s Hospital in Armley has been chosen as the proposed site of a new £13 million unit supporting young people with complex mental health issues.
The number of beds for children and adolescents suffering from mental health problems in Leeds will more than double from eight to 18, with an additional four psychiatric intensive care unit beds.
The hospital already offers disability and mental health services.
In a statement, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust’s CEO Thea Stein said:
“Our ambition is to make sure that no child or young person within West Yorkshire goes out of area for treatment.
“This is better for them, their families and better for the local health and care economy.
“The next step will be to work closely with staff, patients, their families, the local community and wider partners to finalise plans and develop a modern, fit for purpose facility of which we can all be proud.”
Work is expected to start on the new unit in early 2019.
St Mary’s Hospital was The Bramley Union workhouse back in the 19th century.
In the 1920s it began to train midwives and became known as St Mary’s in 1948. The maternity unit closed down in the 1970s.