Te Whetu Tawera/Auckland City Acute Mental Health Unit

In February 2003, the Auckland District Health Board opened a new Mental Health Unit on its Grafton Site.  This new facility replaced the Conolly Unit.

The Acute Mental health Unit is unique in that it is very flexible in function and allows the spaces and rooms to be reconfigured and used according to patients' needs.  

The mental health unit is sited alongside the Domain and enjoys views of Auckland Harbour.

The Acute Mental health Unit delivers services to the most acutely ill patients, who have already been attended by ADHB mental health staff within the community.

The innovative design of this new building has proved an opportunity to refocus the mental health service away from a more medical model, towards treatment using a greater proportion of congnitive behavioural therapy.  This has meant a great deal of additional  training for the staff.

The Acute Mental health Unit has been gifted a Maori name, Te Whetu Tawera, Which translates as 'the evening star'.