Designs for the $74 million upgrade of South Australia’s Noarlunga Hospital have been revealed, featuring the addition of 48 new beds to address increasing demand in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.
Local architecture studios Wilshire Swain Architects and GHDWoodhead collaborated with clinical teams and consumers to develop the designs for the Noarlunga Hospital upgrade, a project that will expand bed capacity by over 50 per cent.
South Australia’s Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton said the addition of more acute care and mental health beds is a welcome development for the community.
“This major investment will allow more people to receive care closer to home and is one of the many measures we are taking to build capacity in the health system and reduce ramping,” said Minister Picton.
“We’re getting on with the job and making massive investments in extra hospital beds, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.”
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Early works are expected to begin before the end of 2023, with major construction scheduled to commence early next year.
Once complete, the bottom floor will comprise 24 new beds for mental health rehabilitation, comprising two 12-bed pods of single rooms. It will also boast two large therapy areas, two private consumer lounges, four interview rooms, two family lounges, a gymnasium and secure external courtyards.
The new 24-bed Inpatient Medical Unit will be located on the top floor, consisting of 20 single patient rooms and one four-bed bay for patients requiring more observation. Two of the bedrooms will be negative pressure for infectious diseases, while two will be fitted for bariatric patients.
Further, the hospital will see the construction of 72 additional parking spaces, along with a secure enclosed linkway connecting the new building to the existing hospital.
Professor Kerrie Freeman, CEO of the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, said the Noarlunga Hospital means a lot to staff and the community.
“The new beds will mean people will get their care closer to home rather than having to travel to Flinders Medical Centre,” said Freeman. “We may be growing, but we won’t lose that caring approach that Noarlunga Hospital is known for.”
“Our staff are excited to see our services expand so they can care for more people in the south.”
The unveiling of designs for the new Noarlunga Hospital coincides with the opening of the second of five Medicare Urgent Care Centres (UCC) in South Australia, funded by the Federal Government, offering bulk-billed walk-in patient care in the south.
The Marion Medicare UCC will open on Monday, November 6, following the opening of the Elizabeth Medicare UCC on Monday, October 23 this year.
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