Construction is about to start on the $24m upgrade of Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service 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-the-art health facilities to the Limestone Coast.
The first stage is an $8m 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.
This ED is the fourth of six regional Emergency Departments to be upgraded under the State Government, following a pre-election commitment by Premier Peter Malinauskas.
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 mid- 2025, 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.
Health Minister Chris Picton visited the hospital yesterday and said his government had invested in regional health.
“The results are clear to see with improved health facilities across the state, including in the South East,” he said.
“The upgraded, modern Emergency Department at Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service will 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 for Regional Development Clare Scriven said, as a local resident, she had been hearing first-hand about the benefits the upgrades at Mount Gambier Hospital will 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 Mount Gambier Troy Bell said the local community had long been calling for improved health services in the Limestone Coast.
“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,” he said.
“Having more ambos on the road will also mean our community will have greater access to emergency services.
Member for MacKillop Nick McBride also welcomed the progress of the project.
“I am fully supportive of the government’s investment into Mount Gambier Hospital as it services the wider Limestone Coast region,” he said.
“I have 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.”
Limestone Coast Local Health Network chief executive Emma Poland said the project had “been a long time coming”.
“We are thrilled it’s progressing from an idea to becoming a reality,” she said.
“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.
“Contemporary facilities underpin our ability to attract and retain health professionals including clinicians, allied health professionals and nurses to our region.”
