The State Government will cut $16.7 million from the Women’s and Children’s Hospital including removing 30 beds and more than 80 jobs following a budget review.
In a separate announcement, the Government also revealed the Modbury Hospital paediatric ward will begin to be closed from December this year, despite concerns from the community and surgeons warning the ward’s closure could risk children’s lives.
A “budget performance review” of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital by consultants Deloittes made seven recommendations which would cut $16.7 million from the hospital budget.
The recommendations included reducing the length of stay for patients, revising nursing resourcing levels and medical officers’ rosters, as well as a review of the maternity model of care including length of stay and caesarean section rate.
Health Minister Jack Snelling said the review found the hospital was spending more than $1000 per patient at the hospital compared to its peers.
He said there would be no forced redundancies.
“One of the key elements highlighted in this review was reducing the average length of stay for inpatients, and bringing it into line with peer interstate hospitals,” Snelling said.
“The review showed the Women’s and Children’s Hospital was 20 per cent less efficient than its national peers for inpatient costs.
“Over the same 12-month period, the Women’s and Children’s Hospital kept patients in hospital 15,097 days longer than peer hospitals across the country.”
Northern Adelaide Local Health Network CEO Margot Mains announced the closure of the Modbury paediatric ward today, with a transition to the new arrangements from December this year.
In-patient paediatric services in the north will be then be provided from the Lyell McEwin Hospital.
Surgeons were concerned a dual referral system – where children presenting in emergency at Modbury were first transferred to the Lyell McEwin, then moved again to the Women’s and Children’s if acute surgical care was needed – could risk lives.
Mains said inpatient paediatrics at Modbury and Lyell McEwin hospitals had been generally under-utilised.
“Merging these services into Lyell McEwin Hospital’s dedicated 25-bed children’s ward in the soon-to-be completed women and children’s health hub will provide mothers, children and families with access to a more comprehensive service,” she said.
The Opposition has committed to keeping the ward open if elected next year.
“The paediatric ward provides a vital service for local families and we will ensure it remains if elected to government in March next year,” opposition leader Steven Marshall said.
He blamed the closure of the ward on “financial mismanagement and waste relating to blowouts on a number of health projects such as $40 million on the Oracle IT project”.
