Dispute Over Relocation of Infectious Diseases Unit at Royal Adelaide Hospital
Unions challenge state government's plan to move healthcare services, citing potential risks to patient care.
Doctors and nurses involved in South Australia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic have raised concerns that relocating the infectious diseases unit from the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) could jeopardize patient care.
The state government's plans to move the unit to a new facility at 21 North Terrace are under dispute in the SA Employment Tribunal, as healthcare unions seek to halt the transition ahead of a proposed deadline at the end of April.
The infectious diseases unit manages patients diagnosed with or at risk of conditions such as hepatitis and HIV, and played a significant role during the pandemic.
The Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN), which oversees the RAH, has initiated plans to relocate this crucial unit, citing space constraints that have persisted since the hospital's opening in 2017.
According to union attorney Simon Blewett, the government previously subleased space within the hospital that was rented to a private consortium.
However, CALHN decided against renewing this sublease in 2023, opting instead to rent the new location at 21 North Terrace.
Blewett stated that CALHN assured the infectious diseases unit that it would remain in its hospital location but reversed its decision in October 2022, leading to the current dispute.
He expressed that the relocation could compromise clinical care and safety, highlighting the logistical challenges posed by the separate outpatient clinic location.
Unit director Dr. Renjy Nelson confirmed the potential for "impediments to the care of patients" due to the distance between the two sites.
He articulated that immediate access to other specialist doctors and timely pathology testing is essential for effective patient management, citing urgent situations that require rapid interdisciplinary collaboration.
During the tribunal, Anna Wells, representing the state government, remarked that the decision to relocate integrates both clinical considerations and logistical challenges.
She underscored that patient outcomes remain a primary focus, despite acknowledging that the move may create inconvenience for the unit.
Wells elaborated on the extensive consultations that occurred between hospital management and the infectious diseases unit before the decision was made.
She referred to the complicated nature of finding adequate space for public health services within the RAH, describing the endeavor as "an enormous Tetris puzzle".
According to Wells, relocating the infectious diseases unit represents a calculated decision that minimizes clinical risk.
However, Blewett indicated that the RAH space sublease would probably be extended until the end of April, allowing time for further discussions about the move.
The state government's plans to move the unit to a new facility at 21 North Terrace are under dispute in the SA Employment Tribunal, as healthcare unions seek to halt the transition ahead of a proposed deadline at the end of April.
The infectious diseases unit manages patients diagnosed with or at risk of conditions such as hepatitis and HIV, and played a significant role during the pandemic.
The Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN), which oversees the RAH, has initiated plans to relocate this crucial unit, citing space constraints that have persisted since the hospital's opening in 2017.
According to union attorney Simon Blewett, the government previously subleased space within the hospital that was rented to a private consortium.
However, CALHN decided against renewing this sublease in 2023, opting instead to rent the new location at 21 North Terrace.
Blewett stated that CALHN assured the infectious diseases unit that it would remain in its hospital location but reversed its decision in October 2022, leading to the current dispute.
He expressed that the relocation could compromise clinical care and safety, highlighting the logistical challenges posed by the separate outpatient clinic location.
Unit director Dr. Renjy Nelson confirmed the potential for "impediments to the care of patients" due to the distance between the two sites.
He articulated that immediate access to other specialist doctors and timely pathology testing is essential for effective patient management, citing urgent situations that require rapid interdisciplinary collaboration.
During the tribunal, Anna Wells, representing the state government, remarked that the decision to relocate integrates both clinical considerations and logistical challenges.
She underscored that patient outcomes remain a primary focus, despite acknowledging that the move may create inconvenience for the unit.
Wells elaborated on the extensive consultations that occurred between hospital management and the infectious diseases unit before the decision was made.
She referred to the complicated nature of finding adequate space for public health services within the RAH, describing the endeavor as "an enormous Tetris puzzle".
According to Wells, relocating the infectious diseases unit represents a calculated decision that minimizes clinical risk.
However, Blewett indicated that the RAH space sublease would probably be extended until the end of April, allowing time for further discussions about the move.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
