A new co-located hospital for women and children will be built in Adelaide in line with an election commitment, Premier Steven Marshall says, amid opposition suggestions it could cost more than $2.5 billion.
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The new facility should be located alongside the new Royal Adelaide Hospital on North Terrace, based on clinical advice, Mr Marshall says.
He's appointed a task force to advise the government on options for the proposed move with a view to having that information by the end of the year.
Mr Marshall has declined to speculate on the cost of the new facility but has pledged to take the advice of clinicians on how to proceed throughout the process.
"This is a matter of safety," he said told reporters on Wednesday.
"Adelaide is the only mainland capital city which doesn't have a co-located women's and children's hospital with the major teaching hospital
"The clinicians tell us this is sub-optimal. In fact, the clinicians tell us this is dangerous."
Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said it was up to the new government to release details of its plans.
But he said some estimates put the cost of a new co-located hospital at more than the $2.3 billion spent on the new RAH.
"The cost of a brand new women's and children's hospital on the site of the biomedical precinct can be well in excess of $2.5 billion," he said.
Health Minister Stephen Wade said he had not seen any cost estimates for a new facility beyond $2 billion with one estimate coming in at $1.4 billion.
"This will be a great asset for the people of South Australia in terms of health outcomes," he said.
Labor took a pledge to the election to move the women's hospital to an area alongside the new RAH at a cost of about $500 million with a view to establishing a separate children's hospital nearby at some stage in the future.
Australian Associated Press
