MODBURY HOSPITAL

105 Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (17 July 2012). With respect to 2012-13 Budget Paper 4, vol. 3, p. 44—

1. What will be the impact of the postponement of the $29 million expenditure for 36 inpatient beds at the Modbury Hospital and has this project in effect been a part of the $17.4 million Emergency Department capital works, are there any other capital works planned with the Estimates period?

2. Will the expansion of the Emergency Department impinge on the operational capacity of the department?

3. What has been the impact of the closure of Intensive Care Unit at Modbury Hospital have any lives been put at risk through transfers to the LyeII McEwin Hospital and what impact has this closure on the functions of Modbury Hospital?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts): I am advised:

1. The overall budget for this project is $46.378 million. Of this total budget, $17.4 million is allocated to the expansion and refurbishment of the Emergency Department and $29 million for the construction of the new 36 bed rehabilitation unit. No other capital works are scheduled at this time within the Estimates period for the Modbury Hospital.

The rehabilitation beds will be situated in a stand alone building and therefore are unconnected to the Emergency Department capital works.

At the present time the out of hospital services and programs are meeting the needs for the rehabilitation requirements in the north eastern suburbs, so a postponement of the delivery of the new 36 bed rehabilitation unit is not considered to have a detrimental impact on the Rehabilitation Service Plan.

2. The construction work has been programmed in stages to ensure all operational services can continue at optimal levels throughout the construction period and thereby minimise the impact. There are currently 23 bays in the Emergency Department and for a short period through December 2012 to February 2013 this will be reduced to 19 bays before being increased to 27 and finally achieving a total of 40 bays when the upgrade work is completed in December 2013.

3. There has never been an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Modbury Hospital accredited by the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care (now College of Critical Care Medicine). It would be very difficult to maintain staffing and standards at an ICU in a hospital such as Modbury, which has a focus on sub-acute care, nor would it be beneficial to the majority of patients. There was previously a unit called an ICU, however it was never accredited and only functioned in a limited capacity.

Modbury Hospital currently has a High Dependency Unit. Intensive care experts have advised that a significant amount of elective surgery, such as the types performed at the Modbury Hospital, can be safely undertaken with the support of a High Dependency Unit.