Owing to the size of the hospital no accident or emergency services are available on site for the public at the hospital nor are there any resident doctors employed at the hospital. Patients are admitted by their local GP or specialist who then visit them on an “as needs” basis. Many patients are admitted for rehabilitation following major surgery at much larger hospitals within the Metropolitan area. This makes visiting much easier for friends and relatives.
No birthing unit now exists within the hospital although in years past it was not uncommon to have 100 births a month there. New mothers however are admitted to the hospital immediately following giving birth. Their stay is usually for 3 or 4 days.
The hospital contains 10 public beds and 15 private beds thus it is able to meet the needs of patients regardless of the level of their cover. The hospital also maintains a contract with the Department of Veteran Affairs for the treatment of DVA patients.Many beds are utilised by elderly patients awaiting acceptance into nursing homes or similar facilities whilst some admitting GP’s use the hospital to operate their own programs such as pain management etc.
A number of specialists have consulting rooms at the hospital where they attend on a regular basis. These include two Psychologists, a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist, a Plastic Surgeon, an Occupational Physician as well as Adelaide Digital Hearing Solutions.
Each month a number of surgeons attend the hospital where they perform minor surgical operations on a day surgery basis.
During 2007 a husband and wife team of local GP’s leased an area of the hospital and redesigned it into their medical practice known as Wellbeing McLaren Vale. They have since been joined by two other doctors. Whilst the doctors operate totally separately from the hospital, of necessity, some practices and services do overlap to the benefit of all concerned.