Burnside War Memorial Hospital to double size in lucrative deal to buy nearby clinic

Burnside Hospital will double its size by acquiring a nearby clinic, in a deal deemed a major shake-up of the state’s private hospital sector.

Burnside War Memorial Hospital will acquire the Sportsmed Hospital business at Stepney in a shake up of the state’s private hospital sector.

The Sportsmed site will be rebranded Burnside Hospital Stepney and given a new logo in a move that will virtually double Burnside’s capacity, from five operating theatres to 10, and from 76 to 125 beds.

The value of the lucrative deal has not been disclosed and it is expected to come into effect from September 1.

All clinical staff will retain their current roles, and, like Burnside War Memorial Hospital, the new Burnside Hospital Stepney will be a not-for-profit community hospital.

Burnside War Memorial Hospital chief executive Alan Morrison. Picture: Supplied

Burnside Hospital chief executive Alan Morrison said the acquisition would allow the hospital group to deal with unmet demand including for orthopaedic work.

“We have been a proud part of the eastern suburbs community for more than 65 years, always investing in our facilities and our people to provide the best level of care to patients and their families,” Mr Morrison said.

“As part of the duty of care, we are continually looking for ways to strengthen our business and improve our offering to ensure we can keep meeting the needs of our community.

“To do this we need more capacity. All our theatres are fully utilised and we are not able to meet current demand from surgeons and their patients particularly in orthopaedics.

“That’s why we have been looking for a hospital with the ability to help us grow. Sportsmed Hospital is in outstanding facility with highly skilled teams and its additional capacity will help us meet demand for services.”

Opened in 1998, the Sportsmed Hospital is just 3km from the Burnside Hospital and claims to be one of the largest purpose-built orthopaedic facilities in the world.

Sportsmed Stepney Healthcare Hub is located just 3km from the Burnside Hospital.

The deal does not include the broader Sportsmed healthcare businesses including assorted clinics at Stepney, Mitcham, Morphett Vale, Blackwood and Henley Beach which remain owned and operated by Sportsmed.

Sportsmed chief executive Simon Boag said the result was the right outcome for Sportsmed, its staff and for patients.

“Over the past 25 years, Sportsmed Hospital has been an extremely valuable and productive part of the Sportsmed business and a major contributor to our success as a leader in orthopaedic and sports injury recovery,” he said.

The site of Sportsmed Stepney Healthcare Hub on Payneham Rd, Stepney.

“Our team has provided outstanding care to tens of thousands of South Australians and the hospital has rightfully earned a reputation for innovation and high-quality care.

“Now Sportsmed is entering a new phase with the planned sale of our hospital business to Burnside War Memorial Hospital.

“The sale of our hospital business gives us the best of both worlds. Our surgeons will still have access to great services at the hospital without the challenges associated with running such a large business. This will enable us to focus on our core business of clinical care”.

Mr Boag said the most visible change at the Stepney site “will be the new logo”.

“For the rest of Sportsmed and for patients it is very much business as usual,” he said.

Originally published as Burnside War Memorial Hospital to double size in lucrative deal to buy nearby clinic