Bathurst's Panorama Clinic able to reopen after extended closure

The sub-acute mental health service, located within the grounds of Bathurst Hospital, will open its doors for the first time in over two months on Monday.

The facility was closed in August when the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) enacted its contingency plan in anticipation of a surge in COVID-19 cases.

It's closure coincided with the announcement of a lockdown across regional NSW.

The WNSWLHD has confirmed Panorama Clinic will resume its normal operations from Monday, including allowing patients to stay at the facility.

Members of the community, who were outraged that the clinic was closed, have welcomed the news

Among those happy it's reopening is the mother of a former patient, who had to be sent home in August when the clinic was closed.

READ MORE: Families frustrated as Panorama Clinic remains closed to clients

The woman, who can't be named for privacy reasons, said that her son "went backwards" while under the hospital in the home care model.

He had to be admitted to Bloomfield in Orange where he could be monitored more closely, and thankfully has now returned home.

His mother said that the clinic never should have closed, but she is glad the service will resume and hopes mental health will be treated as a priority.

"If you got to hospital because of mental health issues, you're generally getting to the point where you're going to end your life," she said.

"That's generally why you go to hospital, so how is it any different to a cancer ward? If you have to be admitted to Panorama, you are generally at that point where you don't want to be here anymore.

"Mental health is just so black and dark and awful, that you can't see any way out. It's no different to any other ward in the hospital, because it is life and death.

"It has to stay open."

WNSWLHD Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol director, Jason Crisp, said the transition into the Panorama Clinic building will take two days, with consumers returning on Wednesday.

"We need to thank the community for their understanding over the last couple of months while the building was used to help care for patients in an unprecedented situation," he said.

"The building remains prepared for occupancy by clinical teams should demand on services rapidly escalate in the event of a further COVID-19 outbreak, however I want to assure the community that is an escalation plan that will only be actioned if required."

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