Arson destroys Tasmania's only north-west mental health unit, straining statewide bed capacity
A suspected arson fire severely damaged the Spencer Clinic, the 19-bed mental health unit at North West Regional Hospital, leaving it unusable. The loss adds pressure to an already full mental health bed system across Tasmania.
An alleged deliberately set fire on Saturday night caused extensive damage to the Spencer Clinic, the only dedicated public mental health inpatient unit in Tasmania's north-west, rendering its 19 beds unusable. Police have charged a 28-year-old woman with a single count of arson. Robbie Moore of the Health and Community Services Union reported that the clinic was already full and had been operating above capacity for much of the past year.
Interim transfers have placed patients at North West Private Hospital, Launceston General Hospital and, later, Royal Hobart Hospital, all of which are also at capacity. The health secretary, Dale Webster, said the fire service had not yet returned the building to staff, and assessments by surveyors and insurers are pending. He praised staff and emergency responders for preventing further damage and noted that anyone in crisis should still seek help at the North West Regional Hospital emergency department. The state government has announced a $40 million mental health precinct slated to provide 22 beds by mid-2028 as a longer-term solution.
Why it matters
The destruction of the only north-west mental health facility worsens bed shortages, limiting care for patients across Tasmania.
In this story
