First sod turned at the New WCH site
Construction has begun for the $3.2 billion New Women’s and Children’s Hospital Project.
A ceremonial turning of the sod was held this afternoon, as work gets underway on the 1,300 space multi-level car park and central energy facility.
The eight-storey car park will provide significantly more capacity for staff and visitors compared to the current hospital car park, which has around 940 spaces.
The car park building’s design will complement the surrounding Park Lands and will include accessible spaces, including disability car parks and pram parking. Completion of the car park is scheduled for 2027.
The two-storey central energy facility, located to the north of the car park will accommodate the hospital’s electrical and mechanical engineering equipment, generators and cooling towers.
The new hospital will be the first 100 per cent electric public hospital in South Australia, with 414 overnight beds - an additional 56 compared to the current hospital – and further capacity to add an extra 20 beds in future.
It will also have a larger Emergency Department with 43 treatment spaces, state-of-the-art surgical suites and a dedicated on-site helipad.
The SAPOL Barracks site will provide room for both the New Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the Royal Adelaide Hospital to expand in the future.
The larger site allows all critical care services to be co-located on one floor – including birthing, theatres, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and will have a dedicated helipad with direct access to critical clinical areas.
The new hospital will also include a four-bed integrated Intensive Care Unit for women, co-located with the Paediatric ICU, enabling women requiring critical medical care to remain at the New Women’s and Children’s Hospital, rather than being transported to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
The project is on track for completion by 2030-31.
