in 1962, the hospital changed use to cater for mentally subnormal patients. most of the psychiatric patients were sent to hospitals nearer their homes and the wards were renovated to provide 470 beds: 183 for the mentally ill and 287 for the mentally retarded. later the remaining psychiatric patients were transferred to other hospitals and the adolescent unit moved to long grove hospital. in 1969 an industrial training unit opened in one of the villas which provided training in skills and handicrafts for 200 patients. a cement products factory opened in 1971 which employed patients to produce paving slabs in a variety of sizes and colours. by 1979 st. ebba's hospital had 629 beds, making it the largest hospital for the mentally handicapped in the district.