[VIS] New Womens and Childrens Hospital
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 12:41 pm
From the Advertiser
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6747301908New $600m Women's and Children's Hospital to be built at new Royal Adelaide Hospital site in Adelaide
A NEW Women's and Children's Hospital costing in excess of $600 million will be built at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital site to open in 2023, Premier Jay Weatherill has announced.
Mr Weatherill today said the move would give women, children and babies access to the most advanced acute hospital care.
He said it was part of the State Government's long-term vision to build the Southern Hemisphere's largest and most advanced health and medical research precinct.
"The current hospital building is ageing and has limited options for expansion," Mr Weatherill said.
"By moving it to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital site, we will have a world-class adult, women's and children's hospital facility with specialised care and improved services."
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The new Women's and Children's Hospital would open in 2023 in an area already set aside within the new SA Health and Biomedical Precinct in the West End.
The hospital would have its own entrance separate from the new RAH, and paediatric services would remain separate from adult services.
Health Minister Jack Snelling said the new Women's and Children's Hospital would keep its name but improve access to specialists and be a more efficient use of resources.
"The current Women's and Children's Hospital does not have the capacity to provide general hospital services to women if they are needed during childbirth," he said.
"This means that a woman may have to be transferred to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment, while her newborn baby remains at the Women's and Children's Hospital.
"Having both hospitals at the same location will mean that new mothers can remain on the same site as their newborn baby, irrespective of the medical care they require."
Mr Snelling said the government would now work with clinicians to develop the design and implementation of the new facility.
The process for this initial feedback will be open until Sunday, November 24, 2013.