A £2.2m project to upgrade facilities for mental health patients is almost complete.

Eastern Daily Press: Norvic Clinic at Thorpe St Andrew. Photo: Bill SmithNorvic Clinic at Thorpe St Andrew. Photo: Bill Smith (Image: Archant)

Lasting a year, the scheme to transform part of the Norvic Clinic in Norwich has seen a total refurbishment, and the original five wards merged into three.

The final ward moves will take place over the coming weeks, with the new-look unit fully operational by late January.

From 1 January, the Norvic Clinic will also change its name to Northside House.

The improvement work has taken place in phases over the past 12 months to enhance facilities for patients.

The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust say it will also enable them to better manage demand for beds.

The project has seen the new 16-bed low security Blakeney Ward created by bringing together the Thorpe and Acle Wards. The ward includes eight en-suite single rooms, and will cater for male patients who have come into contact with the criminal justice system and have been assessed as suitable for care within a low secure environment.

The Catton Ward has also been extended from 10 to 18 beds and an integrated seclusion suite created. Along with the 16-bedded Drayton Ward, it will provide medium secure care for assessment, treatment and rehabilitation.

Karen Clements, Locality Service Manager for Secure Services with NSFT, said: 'We are delighted that work on this extensive transformation is almost complete. The upgrades which have taken place at Northside House will ensure that service users can receive safe, high quality assessment, treatment and rehabilitation.

'The changes we have made have significantly improved the facilities in which our service users receive care, which is really important as many may remain within the units for several years while we work with them to help them recover better mental health.

'Providing care from a comfortable environment also encourages more effective relationships with staff, which can help to diffuse any potentially difficult situations which may arise.'

The project at Northside House came as part of a wider £3.85 million redesign of NSFT's secure services. As part of the transformation, the total number of secure beds provided by the Trust has increased from 80 to 82.