Concerns Over New Hospital Design
Doctors have raised significant concerns about the proposed design of Adelaide’s new $3.2 billion Women’s and Children’s Hospital, highlighting potential life-threatening delays in care for women arriving by ambulance. The issue has sparked a debate between medical professionals and hospital administrators, with differing opinions on whether the layout will compromise patient safety.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) expressed worries that the hospital’s “adult emergency department,” referred to as the “women’s assessment service” by SA Health, may be located on a different level from the ambulance and resuscitation bays. This could lead to critical delays in treating severely unwell women, according to Magda Halt, RANZCOG’s SA elected councillor.
“The health and safety of patients is always our number one priority,” said Rebecca Graham, CEO of the Women’s and Children’s Health Network, in response to the concerns. However, she acknowledged that the hospital would include a “dedicated lift” near the ambulance bay to ensure timely transfers to level six, where the women’s assessment service is planned.
Despite this, Dr. Halt pointed out that the lift would transfer women from level one to the delivery suite on level six, not directly to the women’s assessment service on the same level. She emphasized that if a woman were to collapse on level six, there would be no resuscitation bay available, potentially leading to dangerous delays in treatment.
Dr. Halt highlighted the urgency of certain conditions, such as abnormal bleeding in pregnancy, which can escalate rapidly and require immediate intervention. “There is an increased risk of death or disability to those women,” she said.
In response, the Women’s and Children’s Health Network stated that the women’s assessment service on level six would include a resuscitation room equipped to handle obstetric emergencies. This room would be staffed by obstetricians, women’s anaesthetists, neonatologists, and midwives when needed.
However, Dr. Halt argued that the resuscitation room would be staffed by paediatric specialists rather than adult ones, raising further concerns about the adequacy of care for women.
Union Concerns and Staff Input
Union members have also voiced concerns about the hospital’s design. Bernadette Mulholland, chief industrial officer of the SA Salaried Medical Officers Association (SASMOA), noted that clinicians had repeatedly raised issues about the location of the women’s assessment service.
“It is significant risk to have that women’s assessment service on the sixth floor,” she said. “Every second lost for a woman who is acutely unwell is a risk to their health and to their safety.”
Ms. Graham explained that the new hospital would create a “women’s precinct” by co-locating most women’s services on the same floor. She also mentioned that the hospital would have more resuscitation rooms compared to the current facility, including a purposefully designed resuscitation room for women in the paediatric emergency department.
Adult Intensive Care Unit Concerns
Another point of contention is the lack of formal agreements regarding the staffing of four adult intensive care beds promised by the state government. Dr. Halt stressed the need for a written memorandum of understanding to ensure these beds are adequately staffed.
Ms. Mulholland echoed this concern, calling the lack of planning “really concerning.” Ms. Graham stated that the network was currently consulting with clinical staff on the layout and design of the adult ICU, with plans for further consultation later this year.
She also noted that the current hospital does not have a women’s intensive care unit, and estimated that an urgent ambulance transfer between the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the Royal Adelaide Hospital would take about three minutes. However, Dr. Halt suggested it could take between 20 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic and access.
Ongoing Design Process
According to a government website, the design process for the new hospital will continue until next year. As construction on the car park begins and the project moves forward, the focus remains on ensuring that the final design prioritizes patient safety and efficient care delivery.
