New Women's and Children's Hospital in SA a step closer to reality

The South Australian Government has revealed the new location for its proposed state-of-the-art hospital redevelopment that will deliver a bigger and better new Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH). 

The SAPOL Barracks site has been chosen as the new location of the new WCH and this announcement progresses the planning and design for the project. 

The new WCH is going to be built near the Royal Adelaide Hospital on a site that is big enough to accommodate future expansion of both hospitals. 

“This site gives us the opportunity to deliver clinical services not possible on the previously proposed site, including a dedicated helipad, critical care services all on the one floor and an ICU for women. 

“The direct connection to the parklands will also enhance recovery and wellbeing for mothers, children and babies. We have listened to the clinicians and their concerns – and will now build a new hospital that will deliver world class facilities, and expansion capacity for the future,” Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton said. 

Artist impression (source: New Women's and Children's Hospital Project)

The new Women’s and Children’s Hospital will include: 

• 56 more beds, delivering the government’s election commitment of 50 extra beds 
• Built in capacity for an additional 20 beds, taking the total beds to 414, 76 more than the existing hospital 
• A 24 per cent increase in treatment space, compared to the existing WCH 
• A 4-bed Intensive Care Unit for women, co-located with the Paediatric ICU and Neonatal ICU 
• A direct connection to the parklands, enhancing recovery and wellbeing 
• A dedicated heliport with direct access to critical clinical areas, which was not possible on the previous site 
• Dedicated sterilisation facilities – avoiding delays to surgery by facilitating quick turnaround times on sterilising equipment 

The new site was identified as the most clinically appropriate option for the new WCH following a review that evaluated six options in the biomedical precinct. The chosen location is also found to have the potential to deliver the best long-term outcome for the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Women’s and Children’s Hospital. 

Artist impression (source: New Women's and Children's Hospital Project)

Thinking long-term, the South Australian Government is investing $3 to $3.2 billion to deliver a bigger and better new WCH that has the capacity for future expansion. 

“The State Government is thinking for long term, building a bigger, better Women’s and Children’s Hospital with room for both the WCH and RAH to expand in the future. 

“The previous proposal would have cost $2.8 billion for a hospital which had only one more paediatric overnight bed than the existing WCH and no room to grow in the future. The RAH would also lose the opportunity to expand. It was short-term thinking. 

“We want to do this properly the first time and the State Government’s new WCH delivers the best outcome for mothers and their babies for generations to come,” Premier Peter Malinauskas said. 

Early works on engineering services as well as shared user paths and bridges are due to commence by the end of 2023, while additional enabling works to prepare the project site for major construction planned to begin in 2024. 

Subject to planning outcomes, the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital is anticipated to be completed in 2030-31. 

The State Government will now work with SAPOL in moving current operations from the barracks to alternative accommodation. 

Source: Premier of South Australia – Media Releases; New Women’s and Children’s Hospital Project (1, 2)