The Malinauskas Labor Government will this month open an additional 26 fast-tracked beds at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, creating much-needed extra capacity and contributing to the expansion of the hospital which will have 40 per cent more patient beds.
The extra fully-staffed beds have been made possible by creating new spaces for the pain and diabetes services and utilising their current space as a new hospital ward.
Surgery patients will move into the newly-refurbished ward, allowing for six additional beds to be added. The internal fit-out is now in its final stages, on track for patients to move in next week.
New medical beds will then immediately move into the old surgery unit, creating a new 36-bed medical unit, using some existing beds and adding 20 extra.
The two wards will bring a combined 26 additional beds online at the QEH next week, adding crucial capacity as winter illnesses continue to place pressure on the health system.
Latest figures show more than 2,000 new weekly flu cases in SA, the highest point this decade, and 164 people hospitalised in just a week.
There are currently 266 elderly South Australians stuck in hospital who are medically ready to leave but are waiting for a Federal Government aged care bed.
At the QEH, another 10 extra surgical beds will be completed by the end of the year, finalising 36 additional fast-tracked beds announced for the QEH in the 2024-25 State Budget.
These beds are in addition to the 52 extra inpatient beds,15 extra emergency department beds and a new Urgent Care Hub which opened last year at the QEH, plus a new 24-bed mental health rehabilitation unit opposite the QEH, which is taking shape and due to open in the coming months.
Malinauskas Government's Expansion of the QEH
July 2024 |
+52 rehabilitation beds |
July 2024 |
+15 extra emergency beds |
July 2024 |
+13 Urgent Care Hub beds |
July 2025 |
+26 medical and surgery beds |
Late 2025 |
+24 mental health rehabilitation beds |
End 2025 |
+10 surgery beds |
Total |
Increase of 140 beds, over 40% more beds |
The new mental health rehabilitation ward is designed to reduce pressure on acute mental health and emergency services at the QEH, while giving patients with complex mental health needs targeted specialist support and care.
Across the system, the Malinauskas Labor Government's beds boost is picking up speed, with 180 extra beds to open over the next six months – fully staffed with doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.
The Malinauskas Labor Government has recruited nearly 2,800 additional full-time clinicians above attrition since the election, including doctors, nurses, allied health workers and ambos.
At the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, which includes the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Royal Adelaide Hospital, the Government has recruited above attrition 130 extra doctors, 550 extra nurses and 73 extra allied health workers.
As put by Peter Malinauskas
Our hospitals are really busy right now and these 26 extra beds opening at the Queen Elizabeth will add crucial extra capacity.
We're opening every extra bed possible to build a bigger health system.
Over the next six months we'll be adding an extra 180 hospital beds to the system.
We've also recruited nearly 2,800 extra health workers including doctors and nurses to staff our additional beds.
The QEH is a key part of the health system which is why we have invested so heavily in it, so it can meet the needs of residents in the west.
As put by Chris Picton
We know our health system needs more beds, and we are building and opening them as fast as we can.
Our huge beds boost is really picking up speed. Over the next six months we'll be opening an additional 180 beds across the system.
We'll also have the workforce to staff them. Since coming to government we've already hired more than 1,400 extra nurses and more than 600 extra doctors above attrition, far exceeding our election commitments.
As put by Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) Chief Executive Officer Dr Emma McCahon
We are always looking for ways to maximise access to timely and appropriate care in all areas of our CALHN hospitals.
The optimisation of these spaces at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital is a wonderful example of our experienced staff reimagining how and where our services can be delivered and expanded to achieve better access for our patients.
