Recommendation 38

What the Royal Commission said

The Royal Commission recommended that the Victorian Government:

• in line with master planning for Thomas Embling Hospital and the proposal of the Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority:
  • refurbish the existing 136 beds; and
  • by the end of 2026, provide an additional 107 beds, a small number of which should be allocated for people living with mental illness whose treatment, care and support requirements cannot be safely and appropriately met in acute inpatient settings or through the forensic community model (refer to Recommendation 37).
  • provide up to 20 beds, in addition to the 107 beds referred to in Recommendation 38(b) and the additional beds in Recommendation 11, to support people living with mental illness whose treatment, care and support requirements cannot be, or are unlikely to be, safely and effectively met in other extended rehabilitation settings.

What we’ve achieved

• A $515.7 million upgrade of Thomas Embling Hospital is underway, which will deliver 82 new secure mental health beds.

The Thomas Embling Hospital is a secure forensic mental health hospital, providing care and treatment for people living with a serious mental illness in, or at risk of entering, the justice system. The project will ensure that Victorians most at risk can access mental health services in a secure, contemporary and recovery-focused environment.

• The first stage of construction has been completed. This includes a 34‑bed women’s precinct, a 48‑bed medium‑security men’s facility, and new administration facilities.
• The second stage of the project has also been completed. This stage delivered a new main entry area and purpose‑built facilities for woodwork, horticulture, and maintenance, supporting rehabilitation and recovery programs.

The 2026-27 State Budget provided operational funding to enable a phased opening of the first 40 beds.

What we’re doing

Construction is now underway on a new multi-deck carpark which will provide controlled dedicated access to Forensicare staff 24/7 near the Thomas Embling hospital and will feature appropriate lighting and security controls to support staff as they commute to and from their place of work. Once construction on the multi-deck carpark is complete, the Fairlea East Oval will be reinstated and returned to the community.

• The project will fulfil a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System and is being led by the Victorian Health Building Authority.
• The Department of Health is continuing to plan for up to 20 extra beds to support people living with mental illness whose treatment, care and support requirements cannot be, or are unlikely to be, safely and effectively met in other extended rehabilitation settings.