The facility, Slade’s fifth across Australia and New Zealand, has the capacity to deliver more than 300,000 chemotherapy infusions annually and provide employment for 100 specialised roles in the South Australian economy.
Minister for Health and Wellbeing and Member for Kaurna SA, Chris Picton MP, and Federal Health Minister and Member for Hindmarsh SA, Hon Mark Butler MP opened the facility and welcomed its addition to South Australia’s growing healthcare capabilities.
“Good quality cancer care relies on having a ready supply of good quality medicines. I’m delighted to see the Western Suburbs of Adelaide become home to this state-of-the-art facility,” said Mr Butler.
“This means South Australians will be treated with the highest quality cancer medicines from the centre of Adelaide to the state’s rural and regional hubs, which is an outstanding win for patient care.”
With nearly 60 years’ experience in hospital pharmacy and compounding, Slade Health produces over one million infusions annually to more than 200 hospital partners around Australia, including many public hospitals.
Icon Group Global Director – Pharmacy and Compounding, David Slade, said the opening was further demonstration of Slade’s commitment to delivering high-quality and patient-centric healthcare services, and its commitment to partnerships and ongoing investments in cancer care.
“We’re proud to support the government’s draft South Australia Cancer Plan and the Federal Government’s National Cancer Action Plan and explore opportunities to increase access to cancer medicines, particularly in rural and remote regions,” said Mr Slade.
Pictured: Federal Health Minister, Hon Mark Butler officially opening Slade Health Woodville
“With cancer rates on the rise and increasing costs of medications and more complex treatments, this facility provides the opportunity for more efficient provision of cancer medicines to public hospitals around South Australia, while maintaining the highest standards of Good Manufacturing Practice as required by the TGA.
“We’re manufacturing lifesaving medications, and our dedicated team are helping patients and their families; giving them new opportunities, more time and the potential of a better quality of life.”
Pharmacist and Area Manager, Helen Ma, said the Woodville facility delivers critical benefits to patients in regional and rural communities, helping them to access lifesaving care and treatments when and where they need it most.
“Through TGA compounding, Slade Health can safely extend the shelf life of complex medicines,” said Ms Ma.
“Previously, if a clinician wanted to treat a patient from Whyalla with a new drug that had a short shelf-life, the patient would have needed to drive an eight-hour round trip to Adelaide for their medication. But now with this facility, these patients may be able to stay closer to home and family in Whyalla and have access to a broader range of treatments.
“Now the medicine comes to the patient, rather than the patient to the medicine.”
Slade Health is part of Icon Group, which has a long-standing history of delivering comprehensive cancer care to South Australians.
Icon Group CEO, Mark Middleton said the facility complemented Icon’s South Australia’s cancer care offering at a critical time.
“Cancer is a leading burden of disease in South Australia with over 100,000 new cancer diagnoses each year, which is increasingly affecting a growing ageing population,” said Mr Middleton.
“Our doctors and teams in South Australia have been caring for cancer patients for over 35 years and we recognise the need for comprehensive cancer care.
“We have a three-year commitment to invest $50 million in South Australia cancer care infrastructure, including this facility, the opening of a third cancer centre, and the introduction of the latest in radiation therapy treatments and clinical trials to ensure more people can access the treatment they need, when and where they need it.”
The Woodville facility also has the capability to assist hospital partners in the delivery of clinical trials across oncology and haematology and form part of South Australia’s growing cancer hub with the ability to provide compounded medicines to hospital providers in other states.
