Doctors reject re-establishing high-dependency unit at Modbury Hospital

FORTY-SIX senior Northern Adelaide doctors say establishing a high-dependency unit at the Modbury Hospital is “unsafe and not clinically viable”.

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FORTY-SIX senior Northern Adelaide doctors say establishing a high-dependency unit at the Modbury Hospital is “unsafe and not clinically viable”.

A letter from consultants across the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, obtained by The Advertiser, says re-establishing the unit at Modbury would “create more problems than it solves”.

HDUs are for patients who generally need high-level monitoring and management of their condition, including single organ failure.

The letter was submitted as part of Health Minister Peter Malinauskas’ public consultation process as part of a review of hospital, with a Government decision understood to be just weeks away.

The community and independent MP Frances Bedford have fought for the HDU to be returned, with Opposition Leader Steven Marshall pledging $20 million.

The letter was co-authored by Modbury Hospital divisional director Dr John Maddison, a staunch supporter of the Government’s controversial Transforming Health program, under which the HDU was removed from the hospital.

It said most doctors believed that they or their family members would prefer to be treated at the nearby Lyell McEwin Hospital if they required a stay in an HDU.

Dr Maddison told The Advertiser a lack of an intensive care unit at the Modbury Hospital meant a HDU was not viable.

“A modern HDU requires a large number of specialties to support the care of critically ill patients. These specialties are not available at the Modbury Hospital,” the letter said.

Modbury Hospital

The doctors instead advocated for a modern palliative care unit and geriatric wards to be established at Modbury, as well as the development of an acute medical unit.

But the letter has been decried by the Opposition health spokesman Stephen Wade and Transforming Health critic Warren Jones, who said the lack of a HDU at Modbury had threatened “life and limb” over the past two years.

In a letter to Mr Malinauskas, the South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association said a survey of Modbury Hospital staff found 103 staff wanted an HDU returned. Four were unsure and none voted “no”.

Prof Jones said an HDU was needed to support large numbers of geriatric and rehabilitation patients at Modbury.

“The northeastern community clearly wants and deserves the return of an HDU and acute services to Modbury,” he said.

Mr Wade said re-establishing a HDU was “the foundation for the reintroduction of emergency surgery, to broaden the range of surgery and support the Emergency Department”.

Mr Malinauskas said he had completed the consultation process and was “now considering the best options based on this advice.”