Emergency department capacity at the Victor Harbor hospital will more than double under the state government’s boost to treatment spaces across the state.

The Southern Fleurieu Health Service currently has a six-bed capacity, which will grow to 14 when its upgrade is completed in 2023.

New data says the government’s health spend will result in a 65 per cent boost in treatment spaces across the redeveloped metropolitan and peri-urban emergency departments.

A total of 138 new treatment spaces will be added to emergency departments and Emergency Extended Care Units from Lyell McEwin Hospital in the north to the Southern Fleurieu Health Service in the south.

Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade says South Australians can rest assured that with more than $1 billion already committed to hospital redevelopments they will receive the emergency care they need, closer to home.

“There is no denying that more capacity is needed in our Emergency Departments (EDs), and that’s exactly what we are delivering as we continue our landmark hospital build program,” he says.

“We are continuing to roll out the state’s record health spend which is upgrading every metropolitan hospital and expanding almost every metropolitan hospital emergency department, as well as several peri-urban EDs.

“At Flinders Medical Centre, we are transforming the state’s busiest ED into the biggest, growing it by 30 treatment spaces to 86 spaces.

“We are almost doubling the number of beds in the Lyell McEwin Hospital ED - taking it from 39 treatment spaces to 72.

“At The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, we’re adding 15 ED treatment spaces as part of the $314 million redevelopment of the hospital.

“Modbury, Mount Barker, Murray Bridge, Gawler and the Southern Fleurieu Health Service in Victor Harbor will also grow their EDs by 45 treatment spaces between them - to help ease pressure on the larger hospitals and to accommodate the extra demand from growing populations in those areas.

“We are employing almost 1000 more staff, including more than 500 frontline doctors and nurses. This week we announced 74 additional paramedics would be added to our ranks, meaning more than 250 additional ambulance service personnel have been employed in our first three years of government.

“South Australia is not alone in experiencing high levels of emergency department presentations in recent months. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals throughout the nation have experienced increased pressure. Unfortunately, ramping and long waits for ambulances have been experienced in Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.

“We thank people for their patience during this challenging period. I want every South Australian to know that we are committed to building a better health system for all of you.

“While we can’t make the concrete dry any faster on our upgrades, we’re getting on with the job of increasing capacity in our hospitals to help fix ramping and deliver better health care for all South Australians.”

Image by Silas Camargo Silão from Pixabay