Protesters march through Adelaide in a bid to save Repat Hospital at Daw Park

Save the Repat protesters staged another demonstration in the city today in a bid to have the State Government drop plans to close the hospital.

PROTESTERS demanding the State Government abandon its plans to close the Repatriation General Hospital staged a march through the city today.

Several hundred people joined the rally at Victoria Square for the march to Parliament House where a small band of protesters remain camped on the stairs despite requests by Speaker Michael Atkinson that they now move.

Protesters, including some in masks, carried an array of placards calling for support for their ‘Save the Repat’ campaign and included some suggesting politicians take a pay cut.

The State Government plans to close the hospital as part of its Transforming Health overhaul to make the health system more efficient, and to transfer its various functions including acute clinical services to other hospitals.

Rehabilitation services will be transferred to a new, purpose-built 55-bed facility at Flinders Medical Centre and a $15 million Centre for Excellence in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder will be established at a site yet to be determined.

The Chapel, Museum and Remembrance Garden will remain on the site as will Orthotics and Prosthetics SA.

The State Government has received 30 registrations of interests for the site including eight from the health sector, four from aged care organisations and eight from community and education providers.