Construction is underway on one of the biggest upgrades in Modbury Hospital’s history, delivering a brand-new cancer centre, 44 mental health beds and five-storey carpark with more than 300 parking spaces.

The $117 million investment by the Malinauskas Government will provide a state-of-the-art Health Precinct, incorporating a dedicated cancer centre with 12 chairs, which will allow up to 50 patients a day to receive cancer treatment closer to home.

The new cancer centre will mark the re-introduction of cancer services to Modbury Hospital. Currently, public hospital patients living in the north-eastern suburbs have to attend Lyell McEwin Hospital or other metro hospitals for chemotherapy.

Demand for cancer services in the north and north-east has risen by more than 12 per cent in the past year, with 11,545 chemotherapy sessions delivered at Lyell McEwin Hospital in 2023/24, up from 10,278 in 2022/23. Medical oncology outpatient appointments have also increased, with 11,448 appointments in 2023/24 compared to 10,443 in 2022/23.

The new centre will also feature seven outpatient consulting rooms and three interview rooms supporting clinical trials, nursing, and pharmacy education. Located on a dedicated floor, the cancer centre will be accessible via a separate entrance and drop off area. A link bridge will connect the service with the hospital’s existing south wing.

The project also includes a new 24-bed mental health rehabilitation unit to support adults who need longer stays in hospital under a model that provides therapy in a specially-designed living space to support daily activities. Divided into two 12-bed pods, the unit will feature four patient interview rooms, kitchens and communal dining areas, a gym for community-based rehabilitation, courtyards, clinical open-plan offices, and a staff lounge.

A new 20-bed older persons mental health unit will see the existing older persons acute mental health service at Lyell McEwin Hospital move to the new Modbury Hospital beds, creating acute mental health capacity at Lyell McEwin Hospital.

Offering specialist mental health support to people aged 65 and over, the older persons unit will incorporate a 12-bed open pod, and an eight-bed pod for people with high dependency needs. Designed to provide a safe, home-like environment, the unit will also feature sensory rooms, interview rooms, family and visitor rooms, courtyards, and a lift to the lower ground level to a landscaped area.

A multi-deck carpark will complete the project, providing space for more than 300 vehicles to support an increase in patients, visitors, and staff. The precinct is due for completion in December 2025. Artist impressions can be viewed here.

Additional mental health beds are essential to combatting ramping as mental health patients face significant waits for inpatient beds, contributing to access block in EDs.

The new construction starting comes as ambulance ramping improved across all metropolitan hospitals in June, with 3,798 hours lost, a 20 per cent reduction compared to May.

This comes as hospital beds are full, with over 100 extra patients in hospital beds every night compared to the same time last year. Long-stay patients (over 21 days) are also up 14 per cent compared to last year as aged care barriers impact hospitals.

Despite the Code Yellow, the number of metro elective surgery operations was down only 2 per cent (76 surgeries) compared to the same month last year.

Ramping data – including a hospital-by-hospital breakdown – can be found here.

Quotes

Attributable to Chris Picton

This $117 million project not only delivers more beds which we know the health system needs, it also returns cancer services to Modbury for the first time in a decade. That means locals requiring chemotherapy will be able to access lifesaving treatment closer to home.

We’re also building 44 new purpose-built mental health beds at the hospital. From the get-go, our Government has put mental health firmly on the agenda with our $124 million commitment to build and open 72 new mental health rehabilitation beds across Modbury, The Queen Elizabeth and Noarlunga hospitals.

Attributable to Northern Adelaide Local Health Network Chief Executive Officer, Karen Puvogel

We’re delighted that works are underway to deliver one of the most significant expansions in Modbury Hospital’s 51-year history.

This major development will bring a welcome boost to mental health and cancer services in the north-east, which we know are needed.

Similarly, the new multideck carpark will provide more parking spaces for our growing number of patients, visitors and staff. I look forward to seeing the works progress and the future of Modbury Hospital taking shape.