Public Works Committee: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital—36 Additional Inpatient Beds Project

Ms HOOD (Adelaide) (11:24): I move:

That the 138^th report of the committee, entitled The Queen Elizabeth Hospital: 36 Additional Inpatient Beds Project, be noted.

The proposed project from the Department for Health and Wellbeing plans to refurbish existing clinical areas on level 2 of the existing north-east building at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. This will also entail relocating the acute pain and diabetes services, presently located at the site, and establishing temporary decant spaces to support the provisions of ongoing services. The project had an initial budget of $13.7 million, which has been updated to $20.1 million due to the requirement for additional refurbishment works.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, hereon referred to as 'the hospital', is a 300-plus bed/acute care teaching hospital that provides inpatient, outpatient, emergency and mental health services to consumers living primarily in Adelaide's western suburbs. The north-east building at the hospital was completed in 2008 as a 72-bed inpatient facility; however, level 2 was subsequently repurposed to provide acute pain and diabetes outpatient services.

In mid-2024, the hospital opened the Kangkanthi clinical services building, which enhances the capability and capacity of surgical, procedural, cardiac, emergency, intensive care, rehabilitation and diagnostic imaging services. Following the completion of Kangkanthi, the department has recognised an opportunity to relocate the acute pain and diabetes services into the hospital's tower and podium buildings. The relocation of these services will allow the recommissioning of 36 inpatient beds within the north-east building as a mix of surgical and medical overnight inpatient beds to address growing demand. This will have system-wide benefits supporting growth in bed capacity, demand management and ramping strategies.

Works for the new 36 inpatient beds in the north-east building will include associated ensuites and clean utilities, including an automated drug-dispensing cabinet; works for the temporary pain service will include consulting rooms, a group therapy room, a patient waiting area, staff offices, work spaces, as well as a reception area; and works for the relocation of the permanent pain and diabetes services will include patient reception areas, consult rooms, support spaces, a staff base, patient infusion chair bays and staff amenities. Main construction is anticipated to commence this month, with the first 26 beds expected to be operational in July, and the remaining 10 beds to be operational in December.

The committee examined written and oral evidence in relation to The Queen Elizabeth Hospital: 36 Additional Inpatient Beds Project. Witnesses who appeared before the committee were Melissa Nozza, Director, Capital Projects, Department for Health and Wellbeing; Louisa Flynn, Associate, Cheesman Architects; John Jenner, Portfolio Manager Health, Department for Infrastructure and Transport; and Rachel Kay, Executive Director Operations and Performance, Central Adelaide Local Health Network.

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.