Legislation to fast-track preparations for the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital has tonight passed the Upper House, in a major step forward for the once-in-a-generation project.
The Bill enables the Malinauskas Government to build a bigger and better hospital on a larger site, with capacity for 414 beds – 76 more beds than the existing hospital, and 70 more beds than the previous government’s proposal.
The Bill is crucial in removing planning and development barriers that could increase the new hospital’s cost and construction timeframe.
The New Women’s and Children’s Hospital Bill 2022 will now be considered by the Lower House, with the Malinauskas Government seeking to pass the milestone legislation through Parliament as quickly as possible – to progress work on a project which will set our state up for the long term.
The new WCH will be built on a site which is twice as big as the RAH West site proposed by the former government.
The State Government’s new WCH will include:
- 56 more beds, delivering the government’s election commitment of 50 extra beds
- Built in capacity for an additional 20 beds, taking the total beds to 414, 76 more than the existing hospital
- A 24 per cent increase in treatment space, compared with the existing WCH
- A 4-bed Intensive Care Unit for women, co-located with the Paediatric ICU
- Critical care services all on one floor – including birthing, theatres, 23-hour ward, Paediatric ICU and Neonatal ICU
- A direct connection to the parklands, enhancing recovery and wellbeing
- A dedicated heliport with direct access to critical clinical areas, which was not possible on previous site
- Dedicated sterilisation and pathology facilities – avoiding delays to surgery by facilitating quick turnaround times on sterilising equipment and test samples
The site decision follows a review which evaluated six site options in the biomedical precinct – including the former government’s site – and found the barracks site was the most clinically appropriate option, while also delivering the best long-term outcome for the RAH and WCH.
The previously proposed site was landlocked between the RAH, railway tracks and North Terrace – robbing the WCH of future growth opportunities. The site was part of the RAH expansion zone, depriving the RAH of the opportunity to expand.
The government has committed to return and restore more than 30,000 square metres of land surrounding the hospital site to accessible Parklands, allowing the community far greater access to currently blocked-off or dilapidated sites.
Quotes
Attributable to Peter Malinauskas
We have fast-tracked the legislation required to build a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital that sets us up for the long term and I’m grateful the Upper House has seen fit to support it.
This Bill enables us to provide more care for children, boost expansion capacity for our hospitals and increase green and open Parklands space for families.
My determination is to do the right thing, to listen to clinicians and put the healthcare needs of future generations first.
Attributable to Chris Picton
Building the new hospital under this legislation will provide better outcomes for South Australian women, children and babies into the future.
We know this world-class project will support our hardworking clinicians and ensure their patients receive the best possible care.
The sooner we can pass the legislation, the sooner we can get on with the important task ahead of us.
