Calvary Connery Centre opens at $165m Playford health hub

Adelaide’s newest cancer treatment centre is ready for its first patients as the $165m northern health precinct takes another major step forward. See inside.

Adelaide's newest cancer centre welcomes its first oncology patients on Tuesday in a major health boost for the northern region.

Calvary’s $4.75m state-of-the-art Connery Centre on John Rice Ave at Elizabeth Vale includes 18 day oncology chairs and three treatment rooms to deliver chemotherapy, day haematology and other oncology treatments.

There are 10 consulting rooms, three treatment rooms for patients requiring isolation and treatment concurrently, a clinical trials unit, consulting suites and a centralised nursing station to improve patient visibility and workflow.

The Connery Centre is part of the $165m Playford Health Hub, opposite the Lyell McEwin Hospital, which will soon be home to Calvary’s key partners in care including Clinpath Pathology, Radiology SA and GenesisCare.

Calvary SA regional chief executive Sharon Kendall said the new centre in a growing region represents the only one of its kind between Calvary North Adelaide Hospital and the Barossa, and allows Calvary to significantly increase on its existing 13 chairs at its Central Districts Hospital into the future.

Artist's impression of the $165m healthcare precinct at Playford, designed by Woods Bagot. Supplied by Northwest Healthcare Properties Management

“The same, friendly oncology staff from Calvary Central Districts will be here tomorrow bright and early to welcome the first patients into our new Calvary Connery Centre,” Ms Kendall said.

“Calvary is committed to supporting the people of the greater northern region of South Australia, and this replaces our existing service at Calvary Central Districts with a continued focus on providing care and support to meet community needs.

“The centre includes a family room, offering a patient’s loved ones with a private space for conversations, waiting for a relative to complete treatment, or just having some time away from the clinical floor.”

Calvary Connery Centre for cancer treatment at the Playford Health Hub. Picture: Supplied

The centre includes a family room, offering a patient’s loved ones with a private space for conversations. Picture: Supplied

The centre is part of the Playford Health Hub which is a co-located public and private health precinct. Picture: Supplied

Last month Calvary announced it was preparing to engage with a builder to progress the co-located private hospital as part of Stage 3 of Northwest Healthcare Properties’ Playford Health Hub which also includes a $24m retail precinct and a 450-bay multi-level carpark.

“Calvary is excited to be the private healthcare provider at the Playford Health Hub and we are proud to be partnering with Northwest on the development of the private hospital,” Ms Kendall said.

“The Playford Health Hub creates a modern and co-located public and private health precinct to support a growing region expected to exceed 600,000 South Australians by 2026.”