Southern Redevelopment latest news

Noarlunga Hospital 48-bed redevelopment opens

The largest redevelopment project at Noarlunga Hospital, as part of Southern Redevelopment – Stage 1, is complete.

The 24-bed General Medicine Ward and 24-bed Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit opened and welcomed its first patients and consumers on Tuesday 11 November 2025.

The home-like and friendly environment that has been created in this new building is a true reflection of the extensive engagement and collaboration with staff (both clinical and non-clinical), consumers, those with lived experience, architects and builders.

The design of the new 48-beds places the health and wellbeing of patients, consumers and staff at the centre.

Healthcare design has come a long way over the years and the new building at Noarlunga Hospital showcases those advancements, with an abundance of natural light, recreational and therapy spaces integrated throughout to support recovery.

Staff working in the new spaces, and supporting staff, have also been considered in the design, to ensure they have the facilities needed to provide the right care in the right place for our patients.

Throughout November, staff and the community had the opportunity to tour the new units, with over 750 people through the doors.

Watch a short video for a virtual walk-through of the new General Medicine Ward and Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit - 

General Medicine Ward

The General Medicine Ward includes 20 single patient rooms purposefully designed with an ensuite and a window allowing for natural light.

A four-bed bay with a dedicated nurses’ station within the room, has been included to support patients requiring a higher level of care and observation.

Two of the rooms have been specifically designed to accommodate patients with transmissible infectious diseases, while another two have been fitted out to safely care for patients with bariatric needs.

This is a great addition to Noarlunga Hospital and is further supported by digital infrastructure to allow for specialised audio-visual calls, helping to reduce the number of patients transferred to Flinders Medical Centre.

Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit

The brand-new Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit is a much-needed addition to the mental health services already provided across Southern Adelaide Local Health Network. It will help ensure mental health consumers requiring longer-term support can access the care they need in a place that best meets their needs.

The unit exemplifies innovative healthcare design, featuring flexible spaces that enhance patient care and foster a supportive environment aligned with evolving community needs.

Designed for longer length of stay (3-6 months), the unit includes a number of facilities to support consumers on their recovery journey, including a gymnasium, kitchen and laundry facilities and secure external courtyards with BBQ, sports play area.

The unit consists of two 12-bed pods of single rooms, as well as two large therapy areas, two private patient lounges, four interview rooms and two family lounges with one including a private courtyard.
These facilities will improve patient outcomes by putting a clear focus on recovery while also reducing their length of stay in an acute mental health bed.

Below are also some photos that showcase the new spaces which provide a light-filled, warm and inviting environment that is inspired from the local Port Noarlunga cliffs and surrounding landscapes and flora.

In addition to the 48-bed redevelopment a number of smaller expansion projects were completed at Noarlunga Hospital to support the new beds. These projects included a kitchen and linen expansion, and the SA Pharmacy expansion and relocation.

Key Project Outcomes

This was the largest ever expansion of Noarlunga Hospital with 24 general medicine beds and 24 mental health rehabilitation beds, along with 12 extra beds that opened in Myles Ward in 2024. This increases capacity at the hospital by more than 65 per cent, to meet the growing demand for our services in the south.

The new section of the hospital is connected via an enclosed linkway accessed from the existing hospital (between Morier Ward and Whittaker Ward), and an additional car park has been established next to the new building, predominantly for those visiting the Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit.

Staff, consumers and external project partners collaborated and designed these incredible new units, which will provide a safe and therapeutic environment where consumers can receive the right care in the right place!