Royal Adelaide Hospital

In reply to Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (23 September 2015).

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries):

The relocation date and ramp-down period for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital (new RAH) is still being considered but this will occur between the commercial acceptance of the building, currently scheduled to be 3 July 2016, and prior to the end of November, 2016.

The Department for Health and Ageing has convened a Ramp-down Steering Committee to facilitate the reduction of activity at the RAH in coordination with the other Local Health Networks and Transforming Health. The Ramp-down Steering Committee will ensure activity levels across the state can be managed within the existing bed-stock to allow the RAH to move safely. The ramp-down period will be minimised to reduce the impact on other services across SA Health.

The construction phase for the ward repurposing at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) will be planned around the ramp down strategy for the new RAH. This will enable TQEH to support the transition of the RAH to the new RAH.