Health and Aged Care News South Australia

SA Government adds $123M boost to state’s health system capacity

Eliza Sayon Oct 15, 2021

2 min read

The South Australian Government is boosting the state’s health system capacity with the announcement of the next part of a $123 million boost to get South Australia COVID-ready.

Under the boost, another 93 additional beds will be created in the state’s public health system as part of its COVID-response.

46 additional beds will be established at the Modbury Hospital, 38 at the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre and nine at the Repat Health Precinct. This adds to the over 45 beds already announced across the Gawler Health Service and the Repat.

Following months of detailed transition planning, Premier Steven Marshall said that the investments will reassure South Australians that the state is ready to ease restrictions and relax borders once vaccination targets are met.

“Throughout the pandemic, our public health response has been central to keeping us safe and strong. As we look to further ease borders and restrictions, we are making our health system even stronger to ensure South Australia is COVID-ready,” Premier Marshall said.

“As we move closer to reaching our vaccination targets, we are building a stronger, more agile health system to ensure South Australians have access to the care they need when we relax our borders and learn to live with COVID-19 in the community.”

Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said bolstering the state’s health system capacity was not only a significant investment in the state’s health workforce, but it is also the centre of the South Australian Government’s plans to get the state COVID-ready.

“This hospital capacity boost comes in addition to our recent commitment to recruit 1,200 nurses and midwives. This recruitment surge is on top of the record number of health professionals already employed across South Australia, as highlighted by the recent independent Auditor-General’s Report.” Minister Wade said.

“We are adding hundreds of beds, in both public and private hospitals, as well as out-of-hospital care services that provide hospital-level care in a person’s home environment. By the end of this month over a quarter of these beds will be open to support existing needs in the community.”

Further announcements regarding additional private hospitals and hospital-in-the-home capacity will be made soon.

Source: Premier of South Australia Media Release

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.