A major upgrade for Whyalla Hospital, with the government announcing a $15.4 million extension of the Emergency Department.
The renovation will increase the number of treatment spaces at the ED by 70 per cent, with 12 new bays, compared with seven currently.
New features will also include a new negative pressure isolation room, two behavioural assessment rooms for patients in distress and a new triage and assessment zone.
The staged works will include new waiting rooms and reception areas with improved lines of sight, as well as easy pathways to transfer patients seamlessly to operating theatres, acute care wards and the mental health unit when needed.
The hospital’s High Dependency Unit will also receive an upgrade, with the six beds being moved to a space immediately adjacent to the Emergency Department for the first time.
The Unit is a critical part of the hospital’s function, helping patients who require a greater level of observation and treatment.
Bringing the two units closer together will help improve the management of patients and mean the most critically ill can get urgent care quickly if they deteriorate.
Staff will also be able to enjoy additional light and bright offices, kitchenettes and break room areas.
The State Government is investing $4 million towards the redevelopment, with an additional $11.4 million from the Albanese Government.
All hospital services will continue throughout the redevelopment with work starting this year and due to by early 2026..
Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton says it’ll help meet growing demand in the region.
“The Whyalla Emergency Department has been seeing more and more patients, so it needs to make sure that we’ve got the space for those patients to be looked after, as well as High Dependency spaces for people in the Whyalla region.
“We see a really bright future for Whyalla… with green steel, with hydrogen, huge economic potential for the region. So we need to make sure the health services are there to meet that demand.”
