A re-elected Malinauskas Labor Government will invest $22 million to deliver a brand-new Emergency Department for Clare Hospital, providing Mid North communities with around-the-clock care in a dedicated modern facility.
Clare Hospital's current ED is old and no longer fit for purpose, with cramped spaces, limited privacy and no dedicated waiting area.
This investment will deliver the 101-year-old hospital a brand-new ED, enabling local medical and nursing staff to provide emergency care in a modern environment and ensuring the Mid North community can access high-quality care when they need it.
The state-of-the-art new ED is expected to feature new treatment bays, a resuscitation room, fast-track bays, an ambulance entry and air-lock, a new triage assessment area, a new waiting room and improved staff and support spaces designed to increase privacy and safety.
Demand for emergency care at Clare Hospital continues to grow with presentations increasing by 27 per cent over the past five years – from 2,372 in 2019-20 to 3,006 in 2024-25.
Currently, emergency services are delivered within the hospital ward, with patients often required to wait in the main hospital entrance due to the lack of a dedicated ED waiting area.
This upgrade builds on the Malinauskas Government's $7.3 million investment to redevelop Clare Hospital's theatre suite and deliver a brand new Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD), which are currently under construction and due to be completed this year.
These works will deliver a modern surgical suite that is compliant with recently updated National Safety and Quality Health Service standards and will provide an improved experience for patients and clinicians.
Since coming to office in 2022, the Malinauskas Labor Government has made huge investments in regional health, delivering a bigger health system across the state from the Clare Valley and Yorke Peninsula, to the Riverland, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.
The Malinauskas Government has invested $400 million in regional health capital works since it was elected. This includes $144 million this financial year – a more than 300 per cent increase compared to the $34 million invested in the final year of the Marshall Liberal Government.
The Government has also invested in a bigger regional health workforce, growing regional health services, and supporting South Australians to get the care they need, closer to home.
Over the past four years, the Malinauskas Labor Government has delivered a suite of regional health improvements including:
- Hospital upgrades, including new or upgraded emergency departments, in Victor Harbor, Mount Gambier, Gawler and Mount Barker, while works are underway or set to begin shortly on hospital upgrades at Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Whyalla, Loxton, Naracoorte, Kangaroo Island and Mount Barker.
- New or upgraded ambulance stations for Wallaroo, Port Augusta, Gawler, Victor Harbor, Mount Gambier, Aldinga, Mount Barker, Strathalbyn and the Barossa – while works are underway to deliver new or upgraded ambulance stations in Whyalla, Two Wells, Bordertown and Goolwa.
- A 40% increase in annual operating budgets for regional Local Health Networks (LHNs) – that's $417 million more this year to run our country hospitals, compared to the last budget under the Marshall Liberal Government.
- 369 additional doctors, nurses and allied health staff, above attrition, across our regional LHNs.
- 10 additional regional palliative care nurses, offering country-based South Australians better palliative and end-of-life care closer to home.
- 151 additional regional ambos.
- Investing $23.4 million to upgrade 13 regional hospital helipads.
- Introducing 24/7 security at Port Pirie Hospital, Wallaroo Hospital, Port Lincoln Hospital, Murray Bridge Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service, Mount Barker Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, Riverland General Hospital and Gawler Health Service.
Regional health infrastructure upgrades will continue to be a priority for a second-term Malinauskas Government, delivering more services and a bigger health system to ensure South Australians can access the care they need, closer to home.
As put by Peter Malinauskas
Today I am proud to announce that a re-elected Malinauskas Labor Government will invest $22 million to deliver a brand-new emergency department for Clare Hospital.
Clare Hospital has provided the Mid North with exceptional health services for more than a century, but its ED is no longer fit for purpose.
Our Government will deliver Clare Hospital a dedicated ED that is modern, purpose-built and able to meet the growing health needs of this region.
Clare Hospital is undergoing a generational transformation under our Government, with upgrades already well underway to improve surgical services.
As put by Tony Piccolo
Since being appointed the Labor Duty Member for Frome, and more recently a candidate for the new electorate of Ngadjuri, I have engaged with hundreds of people across the Clare region seeking their views on what could be improved to make it a better place. Improved health services were high on the list.
My discussions with people working in the local health service have identified a better ED would help them deliver more effective services for local patients.
With that community sentiment in mind, I have held several discussions with various Ministers to ensure health services in Clare were on their radar.
This announcement reflects the Malinauskas Labor Government's commitment to build a bigger health system for all South Australians.
As put by Clare-based Rural Generalist and Rural Doctors Association of Australia's 2020 Rural Doctor of the Year, Dr Gerard Considine
For too long, emergency care at Clare Hospital has been delivered without a purpose-built emergency department.
This promised new investment is fundamentally about patient safety and dignity, ensuring privacy and safe monitoring in a space designed for modern emergency medicine.
We are fortunate to have exceptionally skilled nurses and doctors working at the top of their scope in Clare, and this new ED, along with other hospital upgrades already underway, will finally provide an environment that matches that expertise.
As put by Clare and Gilbert Valleys Mayor, Allan Aughey OAM
I am ecstatic about this commitment to deliver a new emergency department for Clare Hospital.
This will be a key factor in attracting and retaining doctors, nurses and other health workers in our community.
A new ED at Clare Hospital will save lives and improve health services for country dwellers and visitors of the Mid North, while helping to reduce some of the pressure on the Lyell McEwin Hospital.
This investment will provide improved equity of health services between country and city dwellers.
I thank the Premier and his Cabinet for their empathy and understanding of our local challenges and I thank Duty Member for Frome, Tony Piccolo, for his sustained, enthusiastic and energetic pursuit of this wonderful outcome.
