Job-creating construction work at Modbury Hospital, which will ease pressures on emergency departments and boost patient care when finished, has today been launched by the Marshall Liberal Government.
Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Stephen Wade, said the Marshall Liberal Government is investing $96 million to upgrade the Modbury Hospital, increasing surgical capabilities and improving facilities for both patients and staff.
“The former Labor Government downgraded the Modbury Hospital under its disastrous Transforming Health experiment.
“This Government is improving services delivered at Modbury Hospital to both ease pressure on emergency departments and deliver care closer to home for the north and north-eastern community,” Minister Wade said.
“The first stage of demolition is complete in preparation for construction works to commence on the new surgical suite on level one, while demolition at the front of the hospital is making way for a new main entry and Outpatients Department building.
“The new fitout of the surgical day suite will extend the surgical model of care and improve patient flow, support increased surgical services, and enable an extra procedural room to be established.
“This will in turn, free up capacity in the operating theatres at the Lyell McEwin Hospital and ease pressure on the busy Emergency Department.
“Other works, including upgrading the western, eastern, and southern façades of the hospital have been completed making the hospital safer and bringing it to modern standards.”
Dozens of new jobs are expected to be created during the project.
In later stages, the $96 million redevelopment of Modbury Hospital will deliver a new 20-bed Palliative Care Unit, a new Short Stay General Medical Unit, and a four-bed High-Dependency Unit.
To facilitate building works and enable a full rebuild of Modbury Hospital level one surgical suite, gastroenterology procedures are currently temporarily being undertaken at North Eastern Community Hospital supported by NALHN staff.
This will help ensure patients on the waiting list for gastroenterology procedures are not negatively impacted.
Ongoing consultation is occurring on how best to manage the rebuilding of operating theatres and the surgical floor service areas as building work progresses to ensure patients and staff are not impacted.
Northern Adelaide Local Health Network Executive Director Medical Services, Dr Michael Cusack, said the redevelopment program is designed to minimise impact to operations and support ongoing, safe service delivery at Modbury Hospital.
“This is an exciting time for Modbury Hospital and our network as a whole, as we strengthen the site as a world-class facility for our community and staff,” Dr Cusack said.
“The redevelopment will improve medical and surgical services for people living in Adelaide’s north and north-eastern suburbs and will support us in undertaking more complex surgical activities, better manage patient flow and develop more contemporary Models of Care for our patients.
“We’re working closely with our staff, consumers, and clients to make sure the redevelopment meets the needs of our growing community.
“While we understand there may be some disruption during the demolition period, we want to thank our staff, patients, and visitors for their patience while building works are underway.”
