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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 740 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 10 November 2021 by Ms L. Mettam

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

FIONA STANLEY HOSPITAL — INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

740. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:

I refer to intensive care unit capacity at Fiona Stanley Hospital.

(1) Can the minister confirm that Fiona Stanley Hospital has been in bed state black since at least 10.00 last night, meaning the hospital was unable to accept any additional ICU patients?

(2) Were three heart surgeries cancelled at Fiona Stanley Hospital this week due to a lack of ICU capacity?

Mr R.H. COOK replied:

(1)–(2) What I can confirm is that Fiona Stanley Hospital will be the beneficiary of our massive $400 million reinvestment to create an extra 270 beds across the system, which includes extra intensive care unit beds at Royal Perth Hospital—I think it is an extra 21 beds there—and an extra 10 ICU beds at Fiona Stanley Hospital. We are continuing to invest in our health system because we know that we have two challenges to meet. One is the impact of COVID on presentations at our hospitals and the peaks of demand that we are currently experiencing. The other is the fact that in a very short time, we will have Delta in our community and will need to respond as a community to the impact that that will have on our health system. No government in the history of this state has invested as heavily in our health system as the McGowan government. That $400 million investment is on top of our $1.9 billion investment as part of the 2021–22 budget. These substantial investments combined with our workforce recruitment campaign will ensure that the hospital system is at peak strength to manage the demands that we have at the moment and, of course, the anticipated demands from COVID-19 when it comes into our community.