Street name change pushed back six months

The City of Greater Bendigo had planned to rename Vahland Street in North Bendigo to Kurmala Street once patients from the Vahland House psychiatric facility were moved to the new site in January.

That timetable has now been pushed back by at least six months after projected staffing shortages in the new hospital’s psychiatric department resulted in the patients having to stay put until enough workers can be recruited to staff the new facility.

A spokeswoman for Bendigo Health said patients requiring extended care would remain at Vahland House until staffing levels at both sites could be maintained.

“This decision has been made following detailed move planning and will be reviewed in six months. Our priority will always be to ensure the safety of patients and staff,” she said.

“Staff are working co-operatively with us and understand there is no point moving until we have appropriate staffing levels.”

The spokeswoman said the hospital’s new integrated psychiatry unit would provide expanded services, including more adult and older persons psychiatric beds, as well as an extended care unit and a parent and infant unit, which had made finding the right staff challenging.

“We are responding to the challenge of recruitment utilising a targeted strategy, looking locally and internationally,” she said.

The city still plans to go ahead with the renaming once all patients have been moved.