Public Service, Mental Health Service
Te Whetu Tawera is Te Toka Tumai Auckland’s Acute Mental Health Unit for Adults. It has 58 beds, which includes 12 Intensive Care Unit beds. The unit is located alongside the Auckland Domain with views of Auckland Harbour. It is unique in that it is very flexible in function with spaces and rooms able to be reconfigured and used according to patients' needs. The Acute Mental Health Unit was gifted a Māori name, Te Whetu Tawera, which translates as 'the evening star'.
What is Mental Illness?
Mental illness is a clinically significant behaviour or psychological (to do with the mind) disorder that is associated with distress or disability. It is not just the way someone responds to a particular event nor is it limited to the way a person interacts with society.
A mental illness can continuously or intermittently (occasionally) affect our capacity for speech, language, mood, affect, thoughts, perceptions, insight, judgement, cognition (understanding) and volition (ability to make choices). It can limit our ability to function as society would normally expect of us and can put us and others at risk.
Mental illness is therefore, a broad term that covers problems ranging from minor to severe disorders.
Who is a Psychiatrist?
A ‘psychiatrist’ is a doctor who, after basic medical qualifications, receives further training and develops the expertise to become a ‘specialist’ in identifying symptoms of, and diagnosing and treating, mental illnesses. You may have been referred to a psychiatrist if your doctor feels you need specialist help.
Auckland City Hospital
Street address
Building 35
Auckland City Hospital
Park Road
Grafton
Postal address
Te Whetu Tawera Building 35 Park Road, Grafton Private Bag 92 024 Auckland, New Zealand
Phone: (09) 307 4945
The information on this page has been provided by healthpoint.co.nz, helping people better understand and use New Zealand health services.
