Residents in Mount Barker and the Adelaide Hills will have access to enhanced emergency care, as the hospital’s new much bigger and better emergency department opens its doors within days.
The new ED – which more than triples the number of treatment bays – will open at the Mount Barker District Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital on Wednesday 7 June.
It has 17 treatment bays – 12 more than the old ED – providing increased capacity to deliver comprehensive treatment and emergency care.
The new facility has two resuscitation bays, two paediatric treatment bays and 13 general patient treatment bays. A new negative pressure treatment bay and other clinical rooms will also support emergencies.
The opening of the ED comes as design work progresses on the new Mount Barker Hospital, a major Malinauskas Labor Government election commitment.
The new hospital will triple inpatient capacity – going from 34 to 102 beds – to help meet the needs of the expanding local population.
The Government has committed $220 million for the new bigger hospital, to ensure Mount Barker and Hills communities can receive the health services they need closer to home, reducing the number of transfers to metropolitan hospitals.
It will expand capacity in specialist maternity beds, paediatric short-stay beds, rehabilitation beds, medical and surgical beds, and palliative care beds.
It will also provide new outpatient and community health facilities, including consulting suites, an allied health gymnasium and telehealth and in-reach services.
A new 12-bed mental health unit will also be established.
The hospital is being designed by Adelaide Architects Swanbury Penglase, working in partnership with Hassell Australia.
Current hospital services will continue throughout construction.
Early site works for the new hospital are anticipated to start by the end of this year, with construction expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
The community and clinicians will be consulted on the design and model of care for the new hospital.
Eighty people have so far registered to take part in community consultation, with a meeting to be held by the end of June.
Locals wanting to stay informed on the development or be involved in consultations to help shape the new hospital and health service can scan the QR code below to find out more or email: Health.BHFLHNServiceDevelopment@sa.gov.au
Quotes
Attributable to Chris Picton
The opening of the new ED at Mount Barker is great news for the growing local community. This investment more than triples the previous ED’s capacity to ensure Mount Barker and Hills residents have access to quality emergency care on their doorstep.
Complementing the new ED is our commitment to deliver a new Mount Barker Hospital with three times as many inpatient beds to enhance the flow of people from the ED into beds and reduce the number of transfers to metropolitan hospitals.
Attributable to Rebekha Sharkie, Federal Member for Mayo
Years ago, on Easter Sunday, my eldest son hurt his arm. Back then the only place to go was the city as there were no doctors at the hospital, let alone an Emergency Department.
I was told it was ‘impossible’ to get an ED up and running at Mount Barker Hospital. It has taken many hours of lobbying various Ministers to get here.
First, we had contract doctors on site, then a small but busy ED, and now with over $11 million of Federal funding a new ED. I am so excited that my team and I, together with our community, have made this happen.
I am so pleased to have secured $11.6 million in funding from the former Federal Government for the new Mount Barker Hospital ED.
It’s a huge win for our community, after many years of lobbying, and I am so very proud.
Attributable to Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network CEO, Rebecca Graham
We are truly delighted to bring online our new Emergency Department for our Mount Barker community.
This delivers the first, important stage in our plans to bolster hospital and emergency services in the region to ensure they not only serve local residents now, but also long into the future.
Attributable to Dan Cregan, State Member for Kavel
The new Emergency Department is a vital improvement to facilities at Mount Barker Hospital. Our community is also looking forward to the construction of a new hospital on the existing site and I know the ED will complement that build.
