Modernization of medical facilities across Slovakia continues. Minister of Health Kamil Šaško, general director of the hospital Miriam Lapuníková and representative of the European Commission in Slovakia Peter Stano officially opened complex renovated premises for the provision of constitutional and daily psychiatric health in Banská Bystrica. This is another project funded by the Slovak Recovery and Resilience Plan in the Faculty Hospital with the Polyclinic F. D. Roosevelt Banská Bystrica - building II. Psychiatric clinic SZU. Historical object from 1901 underwent a complex reconstruction.
Intellectual health is an equal part of health and is exactly the same as investment. At Banská Bystrica Psychiatry, we now open rooms that will preserve the patient's dignity throughout treatment, from our own bathroom in the room to the therapy room. The clinic also has more capacity, a total of 59 constitutional beds and 20 seats in the daily station. Its equipment also provides staff with decent conditions and facilities for their work so that they can treat people at the level of the 21st century. This is the meaning of such projects, quality care and good working conditions right where people livesaid Minister of Health Kamil Šaško.
The project included building modifications of indoor and outdoor premises, medical equipment, information technology as well as measures to improve the energy performance of the building. Renewed premises should provide patients with greater comfort during treatment and staff with better conditions to work. At the same time modernization creates the prerequisites for providing diagnostics and treatment of mental disorders according to standard procedures.
Each such investment mainly serves people. For patients who need quality care, the healthcare professionals who provide it every day. I am pleased that, thanks to the Recovery Plan, modern conditions have been created directly in the region so that quality psychiatric care is accessible and as close as possible to those in need. These projects show that investment in health has a concrete result for patients, healthcare professionals and the whole region."said State Secretary of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic for the Recovery Plan and the Knowledge Economy Alena Sabelová.
The European Union is helping Slovakia to create a system where mental health care is more accessible, modern and naturally part of health care. Thanks to support from European funds under the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the amount of 5 million Euro Banská Bystrica acquires a modern psychiatric clinic that benefits the inhabitants of the whole region. Patients will have access to care appropriate to the latest standards in an environment that respects their dignity and needs. However, the new clinic does not only serve patients ▣ it also brings more attractive working conditions for doctors and health professionals, who can apply their experience and expertise at home in Central Slovakia. And this is possible thanks to Slovakia's membership of the EU and to European solidarity, which also contributes to improving Slovak healthsaid Peter Stano, Head of the European Commission Representation in Slovakia.
The renovation included the whole building and also brought a new arrangement of premises according to the needs of the clinic and modern standards in the provision of psychiatric and psychological health care. Her historical facade was preserved, while the interior changed significantly. The interior arrangement and layout of the premises have changed. There was a reception at the entrance. Patients will be provided with larger waiting rooms, ambulances and premises where they spend time during treatment. In the relaxation room, for example, there were additions of tulips and sofas, where they will learn techniques to relieve tension. There will be a new pottery ring and oven in the arteterapium. A new kitchen with all the necessary appliances will serve to prepare meals and snacks in the daily station. The rooms of hospitalized patients are also more comfortable, each with its own bathroom and toilet. The clinic staff also gained new conditions. Patients treated with non-substanceal addictions and psychotherapeutic patients will also have a green sheltered terrace for spending reserved leisure time.
In psychiatric treatment, it also depends on the environment in which patients spend their time, whether active, working on themselves and engaging in various therapeutic activities, or in a peaceful rhythm or passing day. We are pleased that the renovated building will enable us to work in areas adapted to the needs of patients and individual workplaces, thus better organising the care provided. It is also important that after a period of operation in several places we will be able to meet again under one roofsaid Chief of the Second Psychiatric Clinic of SZU Michal Patarák.
The reconstruction started in July 2024. In order to enable the clinic to continue caring for patients during the construction work, its workplaces temporarily moved to three places: ambulances to the Upper street in Banská Bystrica, bed rooms to the open spaces in the building of the infectology department and the workplace of treatment of non-substance addictions to Badín. Thus, the renovation of the whole building meant not only construction works, but also more than two years of operation of the clinic in spare areas. Hospital psychiatric facilities in Kremnica and Hronovce helped to care for acute patients during the reconstruction.
The relocation of workplaces and care divided between several addresses was difficult for both patients and our colleagues. Thanks to them for their patience and work, thanks to which the clinic worked during reconstruction. The reconstruction of the psychiatry building is one of several development projects of our hospital which, once completed, will create one of the most modern ecosystems within the Slovak health care systemaccording to the General Manager of Miriam Lapuníková Hospital.
Three beds of institutional care and five seats in the daily station are added to the previous capacity. The clinic will thus have a total of 59 constitutional beds and 20 seats in the daily station.
The total cost of reconstruction is EUR 7.5 million, VAT excluded. The hospital received 2.2 million Euro from the budget of MZ SR. From the European funding of the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Slovak Republic EUR 5 million was allocated to the project in the framework of investment aimed at construction, reconstruction and equipment of hospitals. The remaining 300 thousand euros was invested from the hospital's funds.