HEALTH SERVICES —
SOUTH WEST — ADDITIONAL FUNDING
547. Mr D.T. PUNCH to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's $5.5 billion WA recovery plan, which includes a massive
investment in our health system. Can the minister outline to the house what
this government's additional funding for the Bunbury hospital
redevelopment will mean for the delivery of health care in the south west and
can the minister advise the house what this and other upgrades to hospitals
across WA will mean for local jobs and local businesses?
Mr R.H.
COOK replied:
I thank the member for the question.
The member for Bunbury never stops advocating for his community. It was great
to be with him at Bunbury hospital the other day when we announced a further
$38 million towards the redevelopment of Bunbury hospital. This is additional
funding to help facilitate the next stage of works at this, our busiest
hospital in our country hospital system.
Bunbury hospital services more than
170 000 south west residents in addition to the seasonal tourists who impact on
that hospital. It is doing a great job, but the size of the hospital means that
it is now no longer fit for purpose, and so we are getting on with the job of
continuing to expand it. The additional funding will help facilitate the next
stage of work. The state government reaffirms its commitment that we want to
make sure that people can receive the care they need where they live and when
they need it.
This renewed funding comes on top of
the $22.8 million already earmarked for that project and brings the total
investment in the South West Health Campus to $60.8 million to ensure that it
grows with the thriving community of Bunbury and its hinterland. The $22.8 million
that is already earmarked will see a focus on service planning and development
in addition to the construction of an additional operating theatre; the
reconfiguration of the emergency department fast-track area; the establishment
of an acute medical assessment unit; the implementation of a mental health
observation area; the procurement of extra clinical equipment for the intensive
care unit; and improved hospital-in-the-home
and telehealth capability at community locations, a project that is already
underway. A lot of the member's constituents will be most
interested in the increase of about 250 parking bays on that site. I give the
community of Bunbury and the south west their due; they know how to creatively
park when they need to when using the parking bays at that hospital.
It is great to bring this extra funding to bear. Of course,
we are expecting a lot of local jobs to come out of these early projects, which
will see a bonanza in local jobs over the summer months. This comes in addition
to a range of important upgrades and funding announcements that we made
recently, including the upgrade to Collie Hospital and, as part of the project
definition, the consideration of options for the design of a new operating
theatre complex at that hospital. A
community reference group is in place looking at the imminent expansion of the
operating theatre there. People in the member for Balcatta's
electorate will have seen the ongoing construction of the maternity assessment
unit as well as the therapy hub and the rehabilitation ward. Those upgrades are
well and truly underway. The member for Geraldton will look on with great fondness
at the terrific work of the McGowan Labor government as we turn the sod on 4
June to commence the redevelopment of Geraldton Health Campus.
We announced the early works for the
expansion of Joondalup Health Campus, which will see the administration area moved as part of the expansion of the
emergency department at that hospital. We also announced the expansion
of the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital emergency department, which will see a new
eight-bed behaviour assessment unit brought into that hospital in addition to
the changes we brought in at the time of COVID-19 for new negative pressure
rooms at that hospital's emergency department. The Royal Perth Hospital
medihotel has reached practical completion and we have seen some great works by
a local construction firm, creating more jobs.
The $80 million maintenance package
for our entire hospital sector right across the state will see an exceptional
level of work undertaken right across all hospitals—country, regional
and metropolitan—to ensure that we get the maximum capacity to get
people back into the workforce. The expansion of our hospitals via this funding
is very welcome and it is great to see ongoing investment in our hospital
system.