New Royal Adelaide Hospital tour reveals 'game changer for health care'
Posted
After lengthy construction delays and legal bickering, the doors of the new Royal Adelaide Hospital (nRAH) have been thrown open for a first thorough look at the facility.
New RAH facts:
- 700 overnight beds including 40 health mental health beds
- 100 same-day beds
- 10 bariatric beds
- 3,000 soap dispensers
- 4,000 fixed phones
- 70 plus internal courtyards
- 1.3 million meals will be served each year
- 2 helipad parking capacity
The tour included the hospital's emergency department, a 16-bed inpatient ward, and provided views of internal courtyards and food and retail areas.
Health Minister Jack Snelling said so-called "technical completion" was expected next week, with the opening of the hospital likely in the middle of the year.
Public hospital tours would be held most likely in June, he said.
"When this opens this will be a game changer for health care not only in South Australia but right around the world," Mr Snelling said.
"I feel a bit like a proud dad today being able to show off this wonderful new facility to a large group of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals."
Modern design good for mental health
Three health professionals were on today's tour, including Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) physiotherapist Jess Anaf.
"When you walk around this hospital seeing some of the green spaces, some of the internal courtyards and the natural light, I think that is so important for our patients, to feel like they can see the outside and get some fresh air," she said.
"I think that is so valuable for mental health and wellbeing."
With 800 overnight and day beds and 40 operating theatres and procedural rooms, nurse Kristin Manuel was overwhelmed.
"The size of the hospital it takes your breath away at first," Ms Manuel said.
"I think that all South Australians are going to embrace the hospital and they're going, I hope patients are going to want to leave, I think they're going to want to stay."
Building defects were the subject of legal action late last year, with the Government intending to seek compensation from the building consortium for some flaws.
The hospital will be Australia's most expensive building and reportedly the third most expensive in the world.
It's unclear how much is being sought, but the Government said the arbitration process should be wrapped up by the end of the year.
Premier Jay Weatherill said the problems were in the past.
"I think the wait has been worth it," Mr Weatherill said.
"This is the best hospital in Australia and I think as you've seen today it has features which have been designed very much with one purpose in mind that is the patient."
To look at more 360 photos from the hospital tour go to ABC Adelaide's Facebook page.
Topics: health, healthcare-facilities, states-and-territories, government-and-politics, adelaide-5000, sa
