MURDOCH MEDIHOTEL
564. Mrs L.M. O'MALLEY to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's $5.5 billion ''WA Recovery Plan'', which
includes a significant investment in infrastructure and services that put
patients first.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what this government investment in a medihotel at
Murdoch will mean for those who are discharged from hospital but may require
ongoing care?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this investment will help free up hospital beds
and ensure more patients can be treated?
Mr R.H.
COOK replied:
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. It was great
to be with the member for Bicton and the member for Jandakot on the
weekend to announce the funding in relation to the Murdoch medihotel. This is a
great development and comes as part
of the McGowan government's recovery package, which is about getting Western
Australians back to work, continuing to see the economy recover, and making
sure that Western Australians enjoy the benefits of their hard work of getting
the COVID-19 disease under control. It was great to be with the member for
Bicton on Saturday to announce the new 80-bed Murdoch medihotel as part of our
health and knowledge precinct. This is underpinned by a funding commitment,
some of which comes from the recovery package, of $55.5 million for the
operation of the new medihotel. The medihotel will be run in conjunction with
our partners, Aegis Aged Care and the Fini Group, as part of this $200 million
precinct, which they will get down to building today. They are out there,
making sure that this shovel-ready project will bring construction work and
great opportunities for Western Australians to be employed on this important
project.
As the Minister for Health, I am
delighted that we will see this comprehensive medical facility established next
to St John of God Murdoch, and of course Fiona Stanley Hospital. As part of
this 80-bed medihotel facility, we will also
see comprehensive primary healthcare services located on the one site,
including an urgent care clinic with minor trauma rooms, and general
practitioner services such as a pharmacy, imaging and pathology. The
development, as part of this world-leading precinct, will also offer chronic
disease prevention and management, rehabilitation, and life skills training to
divert people from hospital, decrease hospital admissions, and prevent patient
readmission. We expect the medihotel will divert around 4 500 patients a year
from the hospital. That will be a huge benefit to the ED, but it will also be
of great benefit to those patients who will not need to be therefore
accommodated in a busy acute hospital.
This obviously is part of a commitment
that we made at the last election. It is great to see this election commitment
come alive as part of a comprehensive health precinct that will see $200 million
worth of private investment brought to this precinct. We thank the Fini Group
for its commitment around the build. We particularly thank Aegis Aged Care,
which will be operating the medihotel on behalf of the people of Western Australia,
in conjunction with the aged-care facility that it will have on that site. It
is an exciting development. It means jobs and better health care. Once again,
the McGowan government is putting patients first.