The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) is set to open 26 new beds this month as part of the South Australian Government’s broader push to expand healthcare capacity. The move comes amid growing pressure on the state’s health system, especially as winter illnesses drive up hospital admissions.
These additional beds are part of a staged rollout aimed at delivering a 40 per cent increase in patient capacity at the QEH. The latest expansion involves repurposing space from the hospital’s pain and diabetes services to create a new ward for surgical patients. Once surgery patients move into this upgraded area, the former surgical unit will be converted into a medical unit, making room for a total of 36 beds, including 20 new ones.
Both wards are expected to open next week, adding what health officials have called much-needed capacity to handle increased demand. Recent health data shows more than 2,000 flu cases reported weekly in South Australia—the highest in a decade—with over 160 hospitalisations in a single week. At the same time, 266 elderly patients remain in hospital beds while awaiting places in aged care, adding to the strain on available facilities.
The QEH’s expansion is part of a larger commitment by the Malinauskas Labor Government to boost bed numbers across the state. Ten more surgical beds are due to be added by the end of the year, bringing the total number of fast-tracked beds announced in the latest state budget to 36. This builds on last year’s additions, which included 52 inpatient beds, 15 emergency department beds, and a 13-bed urgent care hub. A new 24-bed mental health rehabilitation unit, located opposite the QEH, is also under construction and expected to open within months.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the extra beds at the QEH are a direct response to the current pressures on hospitals. He emphasised the government’s ongoing efforts to expand capacity and recruit the workforce needed to staff the additional beds. Nearly 2,800 full-time clinical roles have been filled since the last election, including doctors, nurses, and allied health staff.
At the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, which covers the QEH and Royal Adelaide Hospital, recruitment efforts have brought in 130 additional doctors, 550 extra nurses, and 73 allied health workers. Health Minister Chris Picton said these efforts reflect a broader plan to expand hospital capacity as quickly as possible, with 180 extra beds expected to open across the health system over the next six months.
The upcoming mental health rehabilitation ward is intended to reduce the burden on acute mental health services and emergency departments by providing specialised care for patients with complex needs.
Dr Emma McCahon, Chief Executive of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, said staff at the QEH have worked to find ways to make better use of existing spaces. She praised the teams involved for their ability to adapt and create new care options that help improve patient access.
With demand high and winter illnesses adding to the load, the government says its focus remains on getting new beds online and making sure the workforce is in place to deliver care. The expansion at the QEH marks another step in this effort, which health leaders say is vital for easing pressure on the system in the months ahead.
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