Multimillion-dollar upgrades underway at Mount Gambier, Naracoorte hospitals
New plans for a $24m upgrade for Mount Gambier’s hospital include a hugely expanded emergency department and more mental health beds. See the images here.
Mount Gambier
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New images of the $24m upgrade for Mount Gambier Hospital have been revealed, with the state government vowing an expanded emergency department, double the number of mental health beds and new addiction withdrawl beds.
Work on the $24m state-of-the-art health upgrade will start within weeks, while an $8m upgrade of Naracoorte Hospital to deliver new clinical and patient spaces is partly complete.
Health Minister Chris Picton has also promised new ambulances and paramedics for the region.
It comes a week after the region’s hopes for a local radiation treatment centre in Mount Gambier were dashed when a long-awaited feasibility study deemed it unsafe, unsustainable and not financially viable.
Mount Gambier Hospital’s upgrade will expand the emergency department, add two new drug and alcohol withdrawal beds, and double the mental health beds to 12.
An $8m, six-bed Emergency Department Short Stay Unit (EDSSU) will be built in the first stage for patients requiring ongoing observation and specialist assessment.
The new unit will occupy an area of the hospital currently used by pathology services – the SA Pathology facility will be extended.
The two new drug and alcohol beds are part of stage two, as well as a new Sub-Acute Mental Health Unit with six new rehabilitation beds, lounge kitchen, dining and other areas.
In Mount Gambier on Wednesday, MR Picton said the work would be staged to limit the affect on patients and staff and ensure uninterrupted care.
Work on the ED is set to be finished mid 2025, he said. with the inpatient drug and alcohol withdrawal beds and mental health unit by end of 2025.
Limestone Coast Local Health Network head Emma Poland, said the hospital upgrade was “a really long time coming”.
After last week’s revelation a radiation treatment centre would not go ahead, she reiterated that talks were continuing to develop a federally funded cancer care centre at Mount Gambier Hospital – plans for which were put on hold while the feasibility study was undertaken.
“The LCLHN is committed to delivering better, safer and more sustainable cancer care in the Limestone Coast,” Ms Poland said.
Meanwhile some of the work on Naracoorte hospital’s $8m are finished.
The hospital’s emergency generator has been replaced, while an upgrade of rooms in the Schinkel Wing is currently underway. The hospital’s public lift is also set to be replaced.
Upgrades to emergency include a state-of-the-art resuscitation room, three refurbished close observation bays, new consulting rooms, a patient waiting area and other room upgrades.
All work is expected to be completed mid-2025.
Mr Picton also said three new ambulances and 24 extra ambo officers would hit the road in the South-East to boost response time across the Limestone Coast, including paramedics that specialise in transfers.
Mount Gambier’s ambulance station will be upgrade later this year.
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