State Government boost to health services

The $24million upgrade of the Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service has reached a new milestone with a builder secured to bring the important project to fruition.

Contracts on the upgrades at Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service are being finalised with Mossop Construction + Interiors, with works on track to begin within weeks.

The new upgrades will include an expanded Emergency Department, two new inpatient drug and alcohol withdrawal beds and a doubling of the amount of mental health beds.

The upgrades will improve patient flow through the hospital and deliver state-of-theart health facilities to the Limestone Coast.

South Australian Health Minister Chris Picton said the upgraded, modern Emergency Department at Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service would ensure the Limestone Coast community gets access to quality healthcare, when they need it.

“We have also listened to the community who identified a need for dedicated Drug and Alcohol beds, and more resources for mental health patients,” Minister Picton said.

Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell also welcomed seeing the promised investment starting to result in bricks and mortar upgrades.

“The local community has long been calling for improved health services in the Limestone Coast,” Mr Bell said. “The upgrades to the ED, the new Mental Health Unit and Drug and Alcohol Rehab beds will all be vital in providing appropriate care when people need it.

“Having more ambos on the road will also mean our community will have greater access to emergency services.”

The first stage is an $8 million Emergency Department Short Stay Unit (EDSSU), which will deliver six new beds for people who need ongoing observation, specialist assessment and diagnostics and are expected to be discharged or admitted within 24 hours.

The new unit will move into an area currently used by pathology services, with the front of SA Pathology to be extended to replace the lost area and deliver a more efficient clinical layout.

The works will be staged to limit the impact on patients and staff, enabling care and provision of services to continue uninterrupted.

South Australian Regional Development Minister Clare Scriven said as a local resident she has been hearing first-hand about the benefits the upgrades at Mount Gambier Hospital would have for the community.

“I am pleased to see construction starting soon and for the community to have access to a high quality of health care,” she said.

Member for MacKillop Nick McBride also identified the value of the investment at the Mount Gambier Hospital.

“I am fully supportive of the Government’s investment into Mount Gambier Hospital as it services the wider Limestone Coast region,” Mr McBride said. “I’ve been working with the local member for Mount Gambier to advocate for greater health services in the area.

“It’s great to see more paramedics start in the region. They are very valuable and play an important role in connecting with GPs and are often the first health professional the community sees in an emergency.”

This ED is the fourth of six regional Emergency Departments to be upgraded under the Malinauskas State Government, with Mount Barker and Gawler already completed, and planned works for the Southern Fleurieu, Whyalla and Port Pirie health services.

The Inpatient Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal beds will support consumers requiring inpatient, medically managed, drug and alcohol withdrawal.

The Sub-Acute Mental Health Unit will also be a therapeutic and light filled space, with six new rehabilitation and recovery beds, to support individuals recovering from acute mental health conditions.

The new unit will include a lounge room, kitchen, dining area, activity area, meeting areas and an outdoor courtyard, and the standalone build will include a dedicated entrance and fit-for-purpose design for both patients and staff.

The redevelopment is the first major investment at the hospital since 2018, and works will aim to improve timely access to care, reduce the average length of stay and deliver a better patient experience.

The Emergency Department Short Stay Unit is on track to be completed by the middle of next year, with the other developments due to be finished by the end of 2025.

The Government’s generational investment into SA Ambulance Service has also resulted in three new ambulances and 24 extra ambos hitting the road – doubling the region’s careered ambulance capacity – to boost ambulance coverage across the Limestone Coast.

A dedicated team of 12 additional paramedics are now serving Mount Gambier, supported by a six-person Regional Medical Transfer Service crew specialising in both intra-regional patient transfers and emergency responses.

This expansion includes two new 24/7 ambulances stationed in the town.

In Bordertown, an RMTS crew of three paramedics and three ambulance officers has also been introduced, bringing an additional ambulance to the area.

Upgrades to the Mount Gambier ambulance station are set to commence later this year, with improvements including extension of the garage to accommodate the additional vehicles.

Limestone Coast Local Health Network chief executive officer Emma Poland said this project had been a long time coming and we are thrilled it’s progressing from an idea to becoming a reality.

“With the Limestone Coast population continuing to grow, we need to invest to ensure we can provide our communities with safe, high-quality, progressive, consumer directed care and services,” she said. “Contemporary facilities underpin our ability to attract and retain health professionals including clinicians, allied health professionals and nurses to our region.”