The South Australian Government has unveiled new health facilities at Flinders Medical Centre to replace those at the soon-to-be-closed Daw Park Repatriation Hospital.

The purpose-built ward includes a 55-bed rehabilitation centre, a 15-bed palliative-care unit, a rooftop-garden and an extra 1,820 car parks.

Premier Jay Weatherill and new Health Minister Peter Malinauskas toured the facility.

Mr Weatherill said patients are expected to be moved in about five weeks' time, when the repat closes.

There was a possibility its closure would be delayed because the health system has been struggling to cope with a surge in patients due to the flu season.

The new facilities include a 55-bed rehabilitation centre and 15-bed palliative care unit. ( ABC News: Nicola Gage )

But Mr Weatherill anticipated that would not be the case.

"The plan remains in place, late October early November," Mr Weatherill said.

"Of course that plan will be re-evaluated if clinical advice suggests otherwise."

There has been strong opposition to the closure of the repat hospital since it was announced, but Mr Weatherill said the same level of care would be provided at the new site — with better facilities.

"The truth is that the services provided at the repat site were old and not fit for purpose," he said.

"We've replicated all of the services that were there but made many improvements.

"This is an example of the modernisation of our hospital network."

Senior clinician Associate Professor Craig Whitehead said it has been a big journey for staff at the repat.

The new facilities at Flinders Medical Centre have been unveiled ahead of the repat hospital closure. ( ABC News: Nicola Gage )

"We have a lot of affection for the site and we've spent a lot of time trying to bring the things that are really the core of repat into this building," he said.

"That includes the naming of the wards, we've got the garden spaces, we're bringing some of the Gallipoli rosemary up here into the gardens to remind us of that."

Palliative care clinical director Kate Swetenham said the current facilities at the repat were sub-standard.

"What will change is that we won't have to apologise every time we move someone out of a share room," she said.

Ms Swetenham said they are bringing as much history from the old site as possible.

"The care in palliative care is actually a philosophy of care and this environment is actually going to enhance that," he said.

"We will be able to accommodate our patients in single rooms, give them their own bathrooms which is something they don't currently have."

Repat closure results in beds lost: Opposition

The Opposition's Stephen Wade claimed the net number of beds in the southern system will reduce when the repat closes.

"My calculation is that more than 100 beds will be lost to the southern hospitals," Mr Wade said.

He said beds had been lost in the southern hospitals that repat services will be transferred to.

"Beds that were previously in those wards are now being closed so there's a series of knock-on effects.

Mr Malinauskas disputed that.

"My advice is very clear that all the services and facilities including the numbers of beds that exist within the existing repat facility will be replicated elsewhere," he said.