Murray Bridge hospital's new emergency department opens at last
Murray Bridge hospital's new emergency department opens at last
Take a look through the $7 million wing opened by Health Minister Stephen Wade on Wednesday.
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Patients will receive better care than ever at the Murray Bridge hospital’s new emergency department which it opens for business next week.
The flash new wing, officially opened by state Health Minister Stephen Wade on Wednesday, includes two rescuscitation bays and seven treatment bays, both increases on what was previously available.
It also includes new waiting rooms, bathrooms, nurses’ and administration areas, more modern operating theatres and procedure rooms, and improved access for ambulances.
A socially distanced crowd of about 40 people was present for Wednesday’s ceremony, held in the shadow of the $7 million development and within sight of the memorial gates.
“This project represents the state government’s commitment to better supporting the health and wellbeing of country South Australians, and I’m delighted to see it come to fruition,” Mr Wade said.
“Through this new ED, locals and people throughout the region can receive the best possible emergency care when they need it.”
Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network chair Peter Joyner said the upgrade was an example of health authorities’ commitment to providing “high-quality, safe and appropriate” services as the Murraylands’ population continued to grow.
The number of emergency presentations at the hospital is expected to double to about 14,500 within six years.
“The population and workforce in Murray Bridge has been growing year on year, which has put increasing demand on this hospital’s emergency department,” Dr Joyner said.
“It’s fair to say that the previous emergency department was well past its use-by date, but people endured working there knowing that something better was around the corner.
“This redevelopment will ensure that we can meet increasing demand both now and in the future.”
LHN chief executive officer Wayne Champion said doctors from Bridge Clinic had approached him about the need for the upgrade during his first week in the job in 2012.
Dr Joyner thanked state MP Adrian Pederick, Mayor Brenton Lewis and the LHN's health advisory committee for their “tireless” advocacy since then, as well as Country Health SA, the SA Ambulance Service, GPs, infection control specialists and staff for their input.
In an emergency: Call 000.
Photos including Karen Hollitt, Wayne Champion, Adrian Pederick, Stephen Wade, Peter Joyner and Sharon Harrison (top), video: Peri Strathearn.
Disappointed to hear that $7 million Went into this hospital, there is no staff behind triage wen entering emergency room , waiting times before and after triage is ridiculously dangerous, unprofessional nurses and not friendly, 6 to 12 hours wait to see a doctor with chest pain and a high heart rate should not be acceptable, no standard procedure by nurses, no discharge papers, discharged with serious life threatening symptoms on the base that the hospital doesn’t have the equipment that is required for tests , doctors dismiss the right for a second opinion, doctors not doing transfers to a hospital that has the equipment for test due to them feeling like there is no evidence for them to do a transfer, but the only way of having evidence would be by the tests that the doctors can’t do because they don’t have the equipment, my opinion after being in ED more then 10 times , perhaps somewhere in that $7 million staff could be educated and the hospital could be more equipped!
Yeah, in rural South Australia, the Public hospital ED's patients are actually "private" and charge accordingly if you are not admitted to the hospital! A person on a disability pension visited the ED here in Murray bridge 4 times over 3 weeks and now he has a $1300 bill to pay back..