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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-02-18 Daily Xml
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Repatriation General Hospital

Mrs POWER (Elder) (15:21): As many people in my local community will recall, we on this side of the house promised to save the Repat and reactivate it into a thriving healthcare precinct. Today, I am absolutely pleased to get up and once again share that that is exactly what we are doing in my electorate of Elder. We truly are building what matters, creating local jobs and better lives for people right across our state, and particularly in the inner south, with this significant boost to our healthcare system.

We are continuing to reach significant and exciting construction milestones as part of our commitment to reactivate this site. Earlier this month was the first concrete pour for the gymnasium, which is really at the centre of the site and, as the Minister for Health and Wellbeing put so eloquently, is the beating heart of our Repat health precinct. That took place and it was quite exciting. Who would have thought watching concrete being poured would be exciting? But it was exciting to be there that morning witnessing that with the Minister for Health.

I think what was so exciting about it was not necessarily actually watching the concrete being tipped into the ground but really being present to the fact that this was the community's vision coming to life. We heard from the community, clinicians, all sorts of stakeholders, my local community in particular, doctors and nurses how important the Repat site was. Particularly, we heard from veterans how important the Repat site was. We had all come together to create a great vision, and to see that vision come to life is truly exceptional.

The concrete being poured is just one of the latest in a series of key milestones in the reactivation of the site. What else is happening at the site? We have partnered with HammondCare to deliver innovative homelike accommodation to care for people with varying stages of dementia. I had the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport at the Repat site with me just last week and again was reminded how incredible that dementia village is going to be. There is no other place like it in the Southern Hemisphere. We have really created something truly special to provide the best care for those who are vulnerable.

The site works for the new 78-bed facility have commenced. Once complete, it will include two nine-bed specialist dementia care units for care and support for people with severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia and four 15-bed cottages to provide care and support for people with dementia who have complex care needs. We have already opened the 12-bed Specialied Advanced Dementia Unit for people living with advanced dementia. This specialised unit was developed using the latest evidence-based research and, importantly, from those who had lived experience.

The Marshall Liberal government has an unwavering focus on providing quality health care closer to home. As we are doing this, we are ensuring that the community is consulted and listened to. As I mentioned, those living with dementia, their families and the organisations had input into that dementia unit, and it was even nominated for an award in terms of the engagement process. Most importantly, what is there is something that all South Australians can be particularly proud of.

The list really keeps going on with what is happening at the Repat site. I am often in this place updating the house. Mr Speaker, I know that you are across it already, but some other updates also include constructing a 24-bed brain injury and a 24-bed spinal cord injury rehabilitation facility—again, a purpose-built facility that will provide a high-quality, modern and contemporary environment to support treatment and recovery from brain injury and spinal cord injury. It will have a patient and family-centred service, offering research and therapy spaces, including the sports gymnasium designed specifically to complement rehabilitation services.

As we build these better facilities to deliver better health services, we are providing significant and crucial job-creating economic stimulus for South Australia, which is also important as we continue to address the challenges of the pandemic. Hundreds of new jobs are being created not only at the Repat site but right across my electorate and the surrounding area. We will continue to build what matters, ensuring South Australians and residents in my area have access to better health care closer to home, and reactivating the Repat into a thriving healthcare precinct, just as we promised, is just one element of that.

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