Doctors to meet on future of existing RAH

Doctors are being urged to call on the government to not “throw the baby out with the bath water” at a meeting next Monday night to voice concerns at plans to relocate the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

The meeting of doctors has been organised by the Save the RAH Action Group.

Group Chair Jim Katsaros says that the current RAH already has a first class reputation, has been significantly refurbished in the past decade and is co-located with top research and academic institutes.

“Why throw this away and start again?” he adds.

Dr Katsaros says there has been no community debate on the government’s relocation plan and the medical profession has not been consulted.

“Worse than this, there has been no public inquiry into the destruction of this valuable South Australian institution.”

Dr Katsaros has urged his colleagues to “come and get the real facts” about why the RAH should be rebuilt rather than relocated.

“The RAH has some of the world’s best facilities and many of these have been rebuilt and modernised over recent years,” he says.

“While the inpatient accommodation needs to be upgraded or replaced, the government’s proposal to start again throws the baby out with the bath water.

“We are keen for South Australian doctors to see what they can do to make a difference and stop the government wasting millions of taxpayers’ dollars.”

The meeting is being held at 7pm on Monday, March 16, at the Robson Theatre, in the Eleanor Harrald Building at the RAH.