South Australians have been given a first glimpse at designs for the $74 million upgrade of Noarlunga Hospital, delivering 48 new beds to meet growing demand in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.
Local architecture studios Wilshire Swain Architects and GHDWoodhead have been working closely with clinical teams and consumers on the designs for the Noarlunga Hospital upgrade, which will increase bed numbers by more than 50 per cent.
Early works are anticipated to start before the end of the year with full construction to start early next year, that will increase total beds at the hospital from 92 to 140.
The bottom floor will comprise 24 new beds for mental health rehabilitation, delivering on an election commitment. This will comprise two-12 bed pods of single rooms – as well as two large therapy areas, two private consumer lounges, four interview rooms, two family lounges, a gymnasium and secure external courtyards.
The top floor will comprise the new 24-bed Inpatient Medical Unit – going above and beyond the election commitment. The ward will include 20 single patient rooms and one four-bed bay for patients requiring more observation. Two of the bedrooms will be negative pressure for infectious diseases, while two will be fitted for bariatric patients.
Seventy-two additional car parks will also be constructed for the hospital, as well as an enclosed, secure linkway to connect the new building to the existing hospital.
Images of the artist impressions of the Noarlunga Hospital redevelopment can be found here.
This coincides with the second of five Medicare Urgent Care Centres in South Australia, funded by the Federal Government, opening its doors, providing bulk billed walk-in care for patients in the south.
The Marion Medicare UCC will open on Monday, November 6, following on from the Elizabeth Medicare UCC opening on Monday, 23 October.
Meanwhile, more pharmacists and allied health professionals are set to be working on weekends at Flinders Medical Centre as part of a Government initiative for people to be discharged sooner and to free up beds.
The Southern Adelaide Local Health Network will start recruiting shortly on its additional weekend staff, with the team due to begin early next year.
The additional pharmacists to operate over extended hours and seven days will help to support complex discharges and earlier medication history which will support patient flow.
Additional allied health staff will also be recruited for across the weekend – such as physiotherapists, social workers, and occupational therapists to help reduce unnecessary lengthy stays in hospital and reduce preventable readmissions.
All these initiatives aimed at reducing pressure on the state’s health system come as the time ambulances spent on the ramp decreased for a sixth straight month, year on year.
Ambulances spent a total of 3,322 hours on the ramp in October 2023, compared to 3,330 hours in October, 2022, and the peak of 3,968 in March this year.
Total hours spent on the ramp last month increased by one per cent more than the previous month (3,290 hours).
Last month was the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s best performance in 18 months, and Flinders Medical Centre’s third best performance in 18 months.
Ambulance response times for October were far better than the same time last year.
Priority 1 calls were responded 61.3 per cent of the time within the recommended eight minutes last month, compared to 51.6 per cent in October 2022, while 58.8 per cent of Priority 2 calls arrived within the recommended 16 minutes, compared to 47.3 per cent 12 months ago.
Transfer of Care data – including a hospital by hospital breakdown – and ambulance response times can be found here.
As put by Chris Picton
This major upgrade will increase capacity by more than 50 per cent at Noarlunga Hospital to deliver much needed hospital beds for the South.
More acute care and mental health beds is welcome news for the community and will alleviate demand on Flinders Medical Centre and improve flow from emergency departments in both hospitals.
This major investment will allow more people to receive care closer to home and is one of the many measures we are taking to build capacity in the health system and reduce ramping.
We’re getting on with the job and making massive investments in extra hospital beds, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.
As put by Southern Adelaide Local Health Network CEO, Professor Kerrie Freeman
We know Noarlunga Hospital means so much to our staff and the community and we are excited to be part of seeing it grow.
The new beds will mean people will get their care closer to home rather than having to travel to Flinders Medical Centre.
We may be growing, but we won’t lose that caring approach that Noarlunga Hospital is known for. Our staff are excited to see our services expand so they can care for more people in the South.
