As a not-for-profit hospital with more than 65 years of providing exceptional care, every decision we make is in the best interests of our community. That is why we are developing a new Health Precinct on Kensington Road, Toorak Gardens.
Why we’re doing this
There is a financial crisis in Australia’s hospital system. Many hospitals around Australia – including some here in South Australia – are reducing their services or have closed altogether in the face of increased costs and shrinking margins.
If we did nothing, Burnside Hospital could suffer the same fate.
We’re determined not to let that happen to our community. As a proud not-for-profit community hospital, we’re investing in our facilities and our people to ensure we can stay strong and provide the healthcare our community needs and deserves.
It’s why we acquired the Sportsmed Hospital business last year to create Burnside Hospital Stepney, and it’s why we’re creating our new Health Precinct on our Godfree House site.
With the range of services it will provide – including two new operating theatres and a procedure room, specialist consulting rooms, radiology, cancer treatment – including a linear accelerator for radiation treatment, pathology and a new fertility clinic – we will truly be delivering whole-of-life care that complements what we already provide at Burnside Hospital and meets the growing demand for quality health care.
What we will be building
The new Health Precinct will occupy the current Godfree House site which is directly opposite the hospital on Moore Street and is bordered by Kensington Road and Hewitt Avenue.
Our designs include a three-storey building with a minimum of two levels of underground car parking for up to 200 vehicles.
The building will house two new operating theatres that will enable us to meet growing demand for day surgery, particularly in orthopaedics. We will also be relocating and expanding our chemotherapy unit into this building.
Other tenants will include radiology (Jones Radiology), radiation oncology, pathology (Clinpath), fertility and reproductive services and the Breast & Endocrine Centre.
The building will be connected to Burnside Hospital by a bridge that will span Moore Street. This bridge will be crucial in providing safe patient transfers between the two sites.
What happens next
We have lodged a Development Application with the City of Burnside in a process that includes a period of formal community consultation. This is on top of community engagement that we have already been providing to nearby residents.
We’re hoping to start construction by the end of this year and anticipate the build process will take between 18-24 months with the first patients likely to be welcomed in early 2027.
Our commitment to you
As we have been for the past 65 years, we are determined to be a good neighbour throughout this process.
If you live locally or have a particular interest in Burnside Hospital, we’d love to talk with you about how critical this project is to our future and to our ability to continue to provide exceptional care – always.
FAQs
Why is Burnside Hospital undertaking this project?
There is a nationwide financial predicament affecting hospitals, and communities get hurt when local hospitals have to cut back services or close their doors. We’ve seen many recent examples in South Australia, including the ending of maternity services at North Eastern Community Hospital, the closure of the McLaren Vale and Districts War Memorial Hospital and Western Hospital being placed into administration. We’re determined that won’t happen to Burnside Hospital, and our new Health Precinct project is crucial to our long-term financial viability.
How will the Health Precinct make a difference to Burnside Hospital’s future?
We have carefully tested our business case, and the Health Precinct Project will deliver long-term financial returns to our hospital which, in turn, will enable us to continue to care for our community for decades to come.
The two new operating theatres will be critical in enabling us to cater for demand for day surgery, particularly in orthopaedics. We will also be leasing space to a range of healthcare providers who are eager to provide new and improved services to the local community.
How big is the new building?
Our designs are based on an up-to three-storey building that will be of a similar height of Burnside Hospital albeit much smaller in overall size. The total land area is 3800m2.
How many car parks will there be?
There will be a minimum of two levels of underground car parking for up to approximately 200 - 250 additional vehicles.
How long will construction take?
We’re hoping to start construction by the end of this year and anticipate the build process will take between 18-24 months.
Will there be disruptions to existing services?
Existing services at Godfree House will be relocated during construction.
What happens with cars currently parked on the Godfree House site during the construction period?
The majority of these are Burnside Hospital employees who will use alternative parking spaces. We will work with the Council to minimise the impact on street parking around the site.
It is also worth highlighting that the carpark will be the first stage of the build process and will be fully operational for staff, patients and visitors to use for the physical site build and fit out.
How important is the bridge over Moore Street?
It’s critical to the whole project as it provides a safe passage for patients and staff moving between the hospital and the new health precinct.
What impact will bridge construction have?
Because we’re building a bridge over Moore Street, the road will be closed for certain periods during construction. We will ensure the local community is given plenty of notice and that alternative routes are signposted.
Have you done traffic studies?
Yes, we have undertaken detailed traffic studies as part of our planning to ensure the impact of this new facility is minimised for the local community. It’s one of the reasons why we are creating three levels of underground parking for approximately 200 cars underneath the building which is above the minimum planning requirements.
How is this project being financed?
Burnside Hospital is partnering with experienced health infrastructure developer Cambridge Group who will own the building. The development is being designed and constructed by health infrastructure specialists Cambridge Medical Property. Burnside Hospital will have the headlease on the property and will sub-lease to healthcare tenants.
How much is being invested and how many jobs will be supported during construction?
The end value of the new health precinct will be approximately $65 million, making it another important piece of health infrastructure for South Australia. The build process will take between 18-24 months and will support approximately 200 construction jobs. Once completed the facility will support more than 70 professional healthcare and support roles.
How many trees will be removed?
We are not planning to remove any significant trees as part of the build process.
When will the new facility be open?
We are aiming to be treating patients by either late 2026 or early 2027.
Is there enough demand for this offering?
Yes. We can’t keep up with demand for day surgery, and the new Health Precinct will also enable us to deliver more cancer treatment, increased pathology and radiology services and, for the first time, a fertility service.
How many additional patients will it treat?
The two (2) day surgery theatres will have the ability to care for up to 3,500 extra patients a year when fully functional, while the chemotherapy unit will be able to care for an additional 1,500 - 2,000 patients.
Will there be a process for the community to have their say about the development?
A community consultation period is part of the formal Development Application process being run by the City of Burnside and we look forward to participating in that. However, to ensure that we remain as open and transparent with our immediate neighbours, we will begin out on consultation process before we proceed with lodging any applications, commencing our immediate neighbour feedback consultation from Monday 24 June 2024.
However, we’re happy to provide information about the project at any time – just email us at [email protected].