The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Mental Health Rehabilitation Service

Show Credits

South Australia

Hospital, Mental health

Featured Team

Terry Wallace

Hartley Pedersen

Shaped by lived experience and delivered through close collaboration, this service offers a calm, supportive setting where people can reconnect with themselves, others and daily life.

For 70 years, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has supported the health and wellbeing of Adelaide’s western suburbs. In 2025, as the hospital marks this milestone, the Mental Health Rehabilitation Service signals a considered evolution in care, one that recognises recovery as a process shaped by environment, time and trust.

Co design shaped the service from the beginning. Consumers and carers worked alongside clinicians and designers to ensure the setting reflects lived experience as much as clinical expertise. The CALHN Mental Health Consumer and Carer Advisory Group played a key role in embedding dignity, safety and respect into the fabric of the space.

Crown Furniture partnered closely with the Mental Health Rehabilitation Service and Holly Spencer, Interior Designer at Cheesman Architects, to deliver furniture solutions aligned with these principles. In her video testimonial, Tracy Vonthien, Project Manager of CALHN Redevelopment, shares, “We’ve had a really great experience working with Crown to decide on the bed for our new mental health rehabilitation service.”

The team established clear goals for the bedrooms. They required an adjustable height bed to support consumers of varying ages and mobility levels, and to allow staff to respond safely in emergency situations. The Fortis Elevate Bed met these needs with precision. Its electric height adjustment provides flexibility for clinical care while supporting independence in daily use.

Robustness and infection control were equally important. The sealed Medi ply construction resists liquid penetration, addressing both clinical standards and consumer concerns. Confidence in the bed’s durability was reinforced by feedback from another healthcare setting, where the bed remained undamaged after activation of fire sprinkler systems. For the client, this demonstrated long term resilience in real conditions.

Operational safety also informed the design. The ability to mount the bed control on the wall allows staff to adjust positioning while maintaining clear sightlines to the consumer and the room. This detail supports safer practice and stronger engagement.

Crown Furniture hosted a dedicated showroom experience for the project team and consumer representatives. Stakeholders were able to trial the furniture in person, assess comfort and function, and make informed decisions together rather than relying on brochures or online specifications. This hands-on process strengthened confidence in the final selections and reinforced the collaborative relationship.

With 24/7 multidisciplinary care, the environment must perform reliably every day. The client’s positive experience reflects not only the performance of the furniture, but Crown Furniture responsiveness, transparency and commitment to meeting clearly defined goals.

The Mental Health Rehabilitation Service demonstrates what can be achieved when considered design meets practical expertise. Crown Furniture values the opportunity to contribute furniture that supports safety, dignity and recovery, quietly enabling care where it matters most.