Murray Bridge Hospital to undergo long-awaited, $8 million upgrade

The emergency department at a major regional SA hospital dubbed “atrocious and horrendous” will double in size in an $8 million upgrade — the first for three decades.

An artist's impression of the planned upgrade to Murray Bridge Hospital.

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The emergency department at Murray Bridge’s hospital will double in size as part of plans for an $8 million upgrade, released today.

The project will include demolishing part of the Murray Bridge Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, building a new emergency department and revamping the administration and nurses offices.

Murray Bridge Mayor Brenton Lewis said the project was long overdue, with the emergency department not upgraded over the past three decades.

He was familiar with the department’s “horrendous” state after his late mother was taken there more than three times over the past five years.

“The doctors had approached me and said, ‘This is atrocious — we can’t operate like this’,” Mr Lewis said. “It was horrendous.”

The department was too small to cater for demand and lacked private spaces for patients, along with dedicated office space for staff to work efficiently.

“I can remember a Saturday afternoon when there were no seats left and people were standing in the emergency department,” Mr Lewis said.

The emergency department of Murray Bridge Hospital.

“Privacy was almost non-existent.”

Mr Lewis hoped extra staff would be rostered on to help the new hospital operate more effectively.

The Liberal Party went to the election promising to upgrade the hospital amid lobbying from the local community.

That followed former Labor Health Minister Jack Snelling ordering a business case for the hospital’s upgrade.

The new emergency department will feature two resuscitation bays, seven treatment bays, procedure and consulting rooms, a waiting room and separate area for vulnerable patients.

There will also be a relatives’ room lobby for ambulances, nurses’ station, staffroom and offices.

Public comment on the plans is being sought until December 14. Visit saplanningcommission.sa.gov.au.

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