Western Hospital’s Oncology Day Clinic to close on Friday, affecting about 200 cancer patients

Nearly 200 cancer patients receiving treatment at the Western Hospital will be without a service from tomorrow, forcing them to undergo treatment elsewhere across the city.

The Oncology Day Clinic at the Western Hospital will close tomorrow. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Nearly all 200 cancer patients receiving treatment at the Western Hospital have been transferred to other services, following the closure of the Oncology Day Clinic.

Patients and 12 staff of the Henley Beach clinic were told last week the service would close from tomorrow, after a buyer for the practice failed to eventuate.

Due to a failed buyer to eventuate, the Western Hospital on Cudmore Terrace in Henley Beach will close leaving nearly 200 cancer patients receiving treatment transferred to other services. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The 54-bed private hospital, on Cudmore Tce, went into voluntary administration in January with Ernst & Young Australia appointed administrators.

In a statement, EY Australia acknowledged the “extraordinary” work by “dedicated nurses” to transfer all patients with scheduled appointments to February to new providers.

“Western Hospital is in contact with a small number of patients scheduled to attend from March 2025 onwards to obtain their consent to transfer their medical records and expect this to be completed shortly,” the statement read.

EY Australia had been working separately to secure a new operator for the oncology unit, but after three months the proposed new provider was not “clinically feasible”.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan previously told The Advertiser, the overall sale of the hospital was progressing well.

Adelaide Oncology and Haematology will continue to operate its consulting rooms at the hospital and have notified all patients with appointments to April to confirm.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery SA branch executive director Dr Samantha Mead said they were assisting affected members “to explore their rights and options for recovering their employment entitlements, after being put in this situation through no fault of their own”.

Originally published as Western Hospital’s Oncology Day Clinic to close on Friday, affecting about 200 cancer patients