The Malinauskas Labor Government today marks a key milestone in the redevelopment of Lyell McEwin Hospital, with a new space in the Emergency Department soon to receive patients and an upgraded Mental Health Short Stay Unit set to provide state-of-the-art facilities for growing communities in Adelaide’s north.
The new ED space is Stage 2 of a $58 million, three-stage project that when fully completed will combine the new space with a redeveloped section of the current ED to deliver 19 more treatment spaces – and 72 treatment spaces in total.
The new ED space will start to receive patients from next week and provides:
- * An additional 1,900 square metres of emergency clinical floor space
- A new dedicated paediatric assessment and treatment area
- A new entrance for ED patients
- A dedicated ambulance arrival area for patient transfers.
This redevelopment was announced and funded under Labor in 2017 – but the project’s original completion date of June 2021 was repeatedly blown out by the former Liberal Government.
As the new ED starts to open, part of the current ED will temporarily close as work gets underway to redevelop that section in Stage 3 of the project. This will deliver in total 72 treatment spaces in the new larger combined ED. The entire redevelopment is due to be completed in early 2023.
Stage 2 of the redevelopment also includes the new purpose-built eight-bed Mental Short Stay Unit (MHSSU) featuring an extra three beds, all in single rooms. This will provide a therapeutic, safe, home-like environment for patients to receive appropriate assessment and treatment, and enable mental health patients to be moved out of the busy ED.
The new purpose-built eight-bed MHSSU, which will also open next week, will support improved flow and transfer of mental health patients, so they don’t get stuck in the ED waiting for a bed.
The existing MHSSU is currently located in a temporary external building to the hospital, and having the new unit close to the new ED will enable patients to be assessed and transferred more quickly, providing additional capacity and helping to reduce length of stay in the ED.
Located on level three of the new build, the new MHSSU also includes a separate family and dining area with high ceilings, three consulting suites and open-plan staff station, with a courtyard in the centre of the Unit allowing access to fresh air.
The Government has just allocated $58 million in the State Budget to build 48 extra beds at Lyell McEwin Hospital to provide more capacity and staff when the project is complete. Labor at the election pledged 24 extra beds for Lyell McEwin Hospital, and this budget commitment doubles the number of beds.
The new beds will be located in a dedicated inpatient building which was built during the redevelopment of Lyell McEwin Hospital when Labor was last in Government to provide space for beds into the future. The existing building will be redeveloped with two more levels added to accommodate the 48 new beds.
Quotes
Attributable to Peter Malinauskas
We know the northern suburbs are one of the fastest growing areas in the State and we are committed to ensuring we have improved and modern facilities at Lyell McEwin Hospital to meet growing demand.
This redevelopment of the Emergency Department was planned and funded when Labor was last in Government and it’s great to see the next phase of this project being delivered under this Government.
We are committed to providing the treatment and care that people in the north need.
Attributable to Chris Picton
The State Government is committed to building up the Lyell McEwin to ensure local communities receive care in an environment that is purpose built and brand new.
Importantly though we are also providing more capacity through these 19 extra treatment spaces in the ED and three more beds in the MHSSU, on top of 48 additional beds we will deliver for this hospital – double our election commitment.
The new ED and the Mental Health Short Stay Unit will support doctors and nurses and other staff deliver emergency care in a state-of-the facility. The MHSSU will move mental health patients out of the ED faster and get the care they need.
This extra capacity will work towards helping to ease the ramping crisis and reducing pressure on health care workers.
