An inpatient facility for older adults with a mental health illness is being relocated from Basildon Mental Health Unit to Thurrock Community Hospital to make way for an additional ward to accommodate more adult patients.

The newly refurbished Gloucester Ward will be officially opened at its new site on Monday by the Mayor of Thurrock, Barbara Rice.

The relocation of Gloucester Ward is in response to increasing demands for more adult inpatient beds for patients suffering from a mental health illness across south Essex.

Andy Brogan, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Mental Health at Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust (EPUT) said:

“The relocation of Gloucester Ward from Basildon Mental Health Unit has enabled us to create a new ward on the site to meet the rising demand. Moving Gloucester Ward to Thurrock Community Hospital is a major investment for us. We have totally redesigned the building to ensure that it meets the needs of the people who will use it.”

The new Gloucester Ward is now located at what was previously known as Ashingdon Ward at Thurrock Community Hospital.