What the parties are offering in Western Australia: hospitals

24 January 2005

Here is an outline of what the major parties are promising to do to improve hospitals:

Labor

• $2.7 billion investment in capital works over next 13 years;

• Build a new 1000 bed southern suburbs tertiary hospital at Murdoch. The hospital will have 600 beds opening in 2010, increasing to 1,000 beds by 2020;

• Amalgamate the administrations of Royal Perth and Sir Charles Gairdner to avoid duplication and waste. Royal Perth will remain open as a campus of Sir Charles Gairdner;

• Establish specialist centres of excellence for major trauma, neurosurgery and heart, lung and renal transplantation at the two hospitals;

• Rebuild and co-locate King Edward Memorial Hospital at a tertiary hospital;

• Expand Joondalup Health Campus to 325 beds over the next three years. Continue expansion to 700 by 2020. Private operator to build new private hospital with 150 beds on site in co-located development;

• Expand Swan District Hospital, Armadale Kelmscott Memorial Hospital and Rockingham/Kwinana District Hospital to 300 bed general hospitals and increase the range of medical services available;

• Operate a smaller Fremantle Hospital but upgrade services to focus on sub-acute, aged care, rehabilitation, mental health, day surgery and community based services.

Liberal/National

• $251.6 million over four years on capital works and $441 million for 727 extra beds and services;

• Retain Royal Perth and Sir Charles Gairdner and upgrade in a second term of government as centres of excellence in cancer and trauma respectively;

• Expand Joondalup Hospital to provide 350 extra beds, including a dedicated children's ward,isolation ward and extra emergency department beds. Expansion to 550 beds by 2015 ($50 million);

• Plan for a new 350 bed hospital at Murdoch to be co-located with the 400 bed private St John of God. Commit $5 million in first term for planning;

• Maintain Fremantle Hospital's size and role until the new hospital at Murdoch is built;

• Open 20 unused beds at Osborne Park Hospital and undertake a major expansion to provide 300 beds within the first time ($20 million);

• Bring forward construction of Swan District Hospital redevelopment increasing bed numbers at the facility to 300 ($68 million);

• Upgrade Rockingham/Kwinana district hospital progressively, starting in the first term ($52.6 million);

• Major redevelopment of Kalamunda District Hospital, retaining beds and services ($5.5 million);

• Spend $5 million upgrading services at Bunbury hospital;

• Start planning during the first term of government for a new, world-class hospital to replace Princess Margaret hospital;

• Retaining and upgrading Woodside Maternity Hospital, increasing bed capacity to 50 in the first term ($500,000);

• Reopening Hawthorn Hospital to provide 22 beds for elderly patients.

printer-friendly version

© 2003 Health Services Union (HSU)
This page: http://www.hsua.org.au/campaigns/puthealthfirst/resources/1106534967_30915.html
Last Modified: Wednesday, 16-Nov-2005 17:19:27 EST