Eastwood Private Hospital, planned for Cancer Council SA’s Greenhill Rd site, to cut waiting times

A new six-storey private hospital planned for the Cancer Council’s Greenhill Rd site will cut waiting times and address a shortfall of surgery space, proponents say. See the designs.

A new $90m private hospital planned for the fringe of the Adelaide CBD will reduce waiting lists by admitting more than 7000 patients a year, planning documents show.

The 48-bed, six-storey hospital would include radiology, pathology and allied health services, along with orthopaedics, plastic surgery and endoscopy.

Future Urban has lodged the plans for 204 Greenhill Rd, Eastwood – currently occupied by Cancer Council SA.

The non-profit organisation is building a new $30m headquarters and lodge for cancer patients next door, and is leasing back 204 Greenhill Rd until its own ­development is finished.

Supplied Editorial An artist's impression of a new hospital planned for Greenhill Road.

In public consultation documents, Future Urban says project proponent Barwon Investment Partners is working with “some of Adelaide’s leading surgeons” to bring new services to the community in “a hospital designed for the 21st century”.

“Private hospital operating lists are currently highly in demand, especially with the ageing and often beyond-repair hospitals created decades ago,” the plans say.

The application says some of the city’s other private hospitals are “severely run-down” and inefficient.

It says the new Eastwood Private Hospital will address demand for more quality ­operating theatre space.

Barwon Investment Partners is among businesses behind the plans for Greenhill Road.

“Calvary Adelaide, Ashford and St Andrews all have waiting lists of surgeons ­trying to expand their ability to operate in order to decrease patient waiting times for surgery, but there are rarely operating lists available,” the plans say.

“Anecdotal evidence suggests there are 30 surgeons awaiting private hospital ­surgery lists at Ashford, and a similar amount known at St Andrews.”

Future Urban’s plans say the new “state-of-the-art” hospital will reduce waiting lists.

“The ageing population, which is over-represented in South Australia, comparatively with the rest of the Australian population … will see an ever-increasing demand for hospital services,” the plans say.

Srimathi Iyengar, of Sydney-based Barwon Investment Partners, said the company planned to begin work on the hospital late this year. It would then open late in 2023.

Proponents for the development say it will reduce hospital waiting times.

Australian Medical Association vice-president Chris Moy said an extra private hospital in Adelaide would help provide patients more choice over their healthcare. “(But) the main thing is we just have to make sure that … enough people keep up with their health insurance,” he said.

“There’s been a slow decline in private health insurance,” he said.

Plan SA is seeking public comment on the development’s designs until Wednesday, June 22.

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