Labor promises new cancer centre, mental health facility for northern suburbs

Labor has promised $168m in upgrades to Modbury Hospital if they are elected – the plan includes a $28m cancer centre and a revamped mental health facility.

Modbury Hospital is set to receive 72 new beds and major upgrades if Labor is elected on March 19 under the opposition’s latest election promise.

The upgrade to Modbury Hospital would include the opening of a $28m cancer centre, the first of its kind in the northeastern suburbs, which will provide 12 chemotherapy treatment spaces.

Speaking at Modbury Hospital on Wednesday, Labor Leader Peter Malinauskas said the project is part of Labor’s plan for 300 extra hospital beds across SA to reduce the pressure on emergency services.

Mr Malinauskas said the new cancer centre would mean patients could be treated closer to home.

“Labor will build a brand new cancer centre here at Modbury Hospital that will provide a service that currently does not exist,” Mr Malinauskas said.

Mr Malinauskas has also promised to upgrade Modbury Hospital’s mental health facility, Woodleigh House, with $53.7m to be invested into the facility.

The Woodleigh House upgrade will see 24 additional beds added to the facility, as well as improvements to the existing 20-bed unit.

Opposition spokesman for health, Chris Picton, said Labor’s proposed cancer centre would mean patients in the northeastern suburbs would not need to travel across town for treatment.

“This will mean thousands of people will be able to get chemotherapy locally,” he said.

The announcement came after Labor’s pledge of $182m to the health sector, including 24 additional beds each at the Queen Elizabeth and Noarlunga hospitals.

Labor has also pledged 300 additional nurses and 100 doctors across the state’s health sector.

It is not yet clear how many of those staff will be placed at Modbury Hospital.

Asked what his plans were for the Modbury Hospital, Premier Steven Marshall said Labor had downgraded services during its previous stint in government.

“By contrast, we went to the last election, we promised $98 million to upgrade the Modbury Hospital and that’s precisely what we delivered,” he said.

“In addition to that, we’ve got the most recent budget, the commitment to completely replace Woodleigh House (mental health unit) and there will be further things that we will be talking about with regards to our health commitments.”