Suicide is the leading cause of death among teenagers and young Australians aged 15–24.

The number of 12-17 year old’s presenting to hospital ED’s with self-harm injuries increased by nearly 50% for the year to July 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. 

The Northern Beaches is particularly at risk with data indicating a shortfall of up to 145 acute mental health beds.

Pittwater also has one of the highest rates of suicide between the ages of 15 and 24 anywhere in greater Sydney, higher than the Eastern Suburbs, the Shire, the Inner West, Parramatta or Penrith.

Immediate and urgent approval is needed for the development of the new mental health facility addressing increasing rates of suicide, self-harm and mental health conditions in the Northern Beaches area.

Once approved, the purpose-built mental health facility  is set to provide up to 96 beds to help stem the catastrophic trend of increasing suicide and self-harm cases.  There’s perhaps never been a more urgent time of need for additional mental health beds, especially to help take the pressure off the major Hospital Emergency Departments (ED’s). 

Northern Beaches Health Hub will cost over $50m to deliver, employ around 175 people during construction and a further 180 once in full operation.  The proposed facility is ideally located within a short walk of the large new Northern Beaches Hospital and within the lovely bush setting of the B7 Business Park zone, well away from local residences. 

The proposal for the facility located at 11 Tilley Lane, French’s Forest, is to be determined via the rapid assessment framework set out in the NSW Dept. of Planning’s State Significant Development (SSD) pathway.. It’s imperative that the proposal is approved as swiftly as possible to help free up much needed Emergency Department beds and to help save lives.

If you agree that we need a new mental health facility in the Northern Beaches, we ask you to sign our petition and help save lives.