THE first building in the massive £17m redevelopment of Salisbury's Old Manor hospital complex opened on Tuesday.

Grovely, with its two courtyards and revolutionary design, provides patients with single room en suite facilities in a modern, bright and airy building.

The new building houses a six-place mental health rehabilitation unit and provides a new base for the assertive outreach team and a new six-bed unit.

Within the complex, there are two courtyards, one contains furniture with a natural theme and the second has a galvanised sculpture of a tree that collects water and produces sound.

There are plant leaves etched on the glass that overlooks the courtyards and there is an abundance of glass tilework, allowing natural light into the building.

The rehabilitation unit provides for people who have experienced a period of acute mental ill health and who no longer need to be in an acute hospital setting but need additional support before they are able to return home.

During their stay in the rehabilitation unit, their needs will be assessed and then, with the help of a team of nurses, health-care support workers and therapists, they will learn how to manage their illnesses and relearn the basic skills of living, before returning home.

Their stay in the unit will be for anything between six weeks and six months, depending on individual need.

Acting senior charge nurse Ben Vuckovic said: "The unit offers single rooms with en suite facilities, in light, purpose-built accommodation.

"We have a large kitchen in which service-users can prepare their own meals, and more space for occupational therapy and other work.

"It's a huge improvement for service users and for staff."

An interesting feature of the new building is the artwork that "brings the natural world into the built environment" and which was provided following discussions with service-users, carers and staff.

The assertive outreach team, which has its base in the new building, is led by Sue McAleese.

She and her team provide intensive support to people with enduring mental health problems who are living in the community.

Grovely is the first of a series of complexes due to be completed on the Old Manor site this year.

A mental health unit for older adults is due to open at the end of July, with an acute unit for adults due to be completed by November.

The £17m project will officially be opened once all the hospital buildings have been completed - sometime after November this year.