Parliamentary Committees

Public Works Committee: Lyell McEwin Hospital: 20 Fast-Tracked Beds Project

Ms HOOD (Adelaide) (11:36): I move:

That the 127^th report of the Public Works Committee, entitled Lyell McEwin Hospital: 20 Fast-Tracked Beds Project, be noted.

The Department for Health and Wellbeing, hereon referred to as 'the department', proposes to refurbish existing space at Lyell McEwin Hospital to help meet the increasing demand for health services in northern metropolitan and regional South Australia.

The Lyell McEwin is part of the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network and provides a comprehensive range of health services to a population of over 400,000 people living in the northern suburbs of Adelaide and the wider region. SA Health projects a base requirement for 335 additional beds in the local health network by 2031. As part of the 2022-23 state budget, the state government committed $47 million to the Lyell McEwin for the delivery of a 48-bed expansion that was completed in August last year.

In the 2024-25 state budget, an additional $16.5 million was committed to deliver a fast-tracked internal refurbishment providing a further 20 inpatient beds in Ward 1C. The project will provide a new 800 square metre inpatient ward to fast-track the delivery of 20 new beds, including one isolation room, one bariatric room and one accessible room. The works include the provision of:

14 single-occupancy rooms with ensuites;

one four-bed bay with a shared ensuite;

two single-occupancy rooms with a shared ensuite;

clinical support spaces, storerooms and utility spaces;

two staff bases providing line of sight to consumer treatment spaces; and

open-plan workstations.

It is planned that the existing wards and departments adjacent to Ward 1C will remain operational throughout the works.

The project is anticipated to cost $13.5 million and construction is expected to commence this March, with the aim to be complete and commissioned in December this year. Professional services and construction contractors have been engaged by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport who will engage secondary contractors as required.

The committee examined written and oral evidence in relation to Lyell McEwin Hospital: 20 Fast-Tracked Beds Project. Witnesses who appeared before the committee were Melissa Nozza, Director, Capital Projects, Department for Health and Wellbeing; Scott Suter, Associate Director, Cheesman Architects; John Jenner, Portfolio Manager, Health, Department for Infrastructure and Transport; and Peter Mullen, Executive Director, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network. I thank the witnesses for their time.

Based upon the evidence considered and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public work.

Motion carried.