Residents in the Barossa Valley and surrounding communities who require hospital-level care after testing positive to COVID-19 will receive treatment closer to home, after the Angaston & District Hospital became the first dedicated COVID-19 hospital this week.
On Monday, the Angaston site began receiving only COVID-19 positive patients, with up to 21 beds available, after existing patients were transferred to Kapunda, Mount Pleasant and Gawler hospitals or discharged if they were ready to go home.
The Tanunda emergency department will provide care to non-COVID-19 patients in the community.
Local Member for Schubert, Mr Stephan Knoll said the Barossa was an “ideal regional location as other hospitals were close proximity to take non-COVID patients”.
“As we hit the peak of the Omicron wave, it is great that we will be able to treat regional patients here in the Barossa,” Mr Knoll said.
“We all need to do our part in dealing with this global pandemic as it evolves to provide the best care possible.”
Barossa and Districts Health Advisory Council presiding member, Mrs Elizabeth Haebich said the dedicated hospital would keep local COVID-19 patients closer to home.
“It also assists our local health services to provide an enabling role during increased demand for beds in the metropolitan area,” Mrs Haebich said.
The Barossa Council Mayor, Mr Bim Lange said opening the COVID-19 only hospital was a way for the Barossa community to help tackle the pandemic.
“The State Government has chosen the Angaston Hospital, it would have weighed up all of the options, we can only be confident that this is the best way to move forward and we will support that,” Mr Lange said.
“COVID-19 impacts all of us in some way, all communities have to play their part.”
Medium and high-risk COVID-19 positive patients will be transferred to a metropolitan COVID-19 receiving hospital.
In a statement to The Leader, SA Health said all Angaston & District Hospital staff had “undertaken appropriate training and education to care for these patients”.
Meanwhile, the Tanunda drive through COVID-19 testing clinic closed on Sunday and began operating at its new site at 7a Belvidere Road, Nuriootpa, on Monday.
