Health Minister Jim McGinty has unveiled plans to spend $131 million on an upgrade to the Joondalup Health Campus, which would increase the number of public beds from 278 to 515.
Health Minister Jim McGinty has unveiled plans to spend $131 million on an upgrade to the Joondalup Health Campus, which would increase the number of public beds from 278 to 515.
The full text of an announcement from the Minister's office is pasted below
A massive upgrade of Joondalup Health Campus will see the number of public beds in the facility grow from 278 to 515 and the emergency department more than double in size by 2010.
Health Minister Jim McGinty said the State Government would spend more than $131 million to upgrade the campus in partnership with the current private operator Ramsay Health Care.
"Joondalup Health Campus is ideally located to service the hundreds of thousands of people who live in Perth's rapidly expanding northern suburbs," Mr McGinty said.
"This redevelopment will ensure the facility is able to cater for the current and future demand of health services.
"In addition to the extra public beds and expanded emergency department, the campus will gain four new operating theatres, two endoscope procedure rooms, a cardiac catheter laboratory, expanded diagnostic services and a dedicated childcare centre.
"The upgrade will also include a new stand alone private 165-bed hospital on the campus," he said.
"This is the first step towards Joondalup Health Campus becoming a tertiary hospital with 700 beds by 2020.
The Minister said details of the contract for the project, which was subject to final approval from the Ramsay Health Care Board, would be finalised in the next few months.
The upgraded facilities will open in phases, with the entire project expected to be completed by mid 2010. Project timeframes include:
- Four new operating theatres to be completed by February 2009 ($19.289 million);
- Ten new palliative care beds to be completed by April 2009 ($3.445 million);
- Emergency department upgrade stage 1 to be completed by November 2009 and emergency department upgrade stage 2 by May 2010 with a total increase in ED beds from 25 bays to 56 bays ($16.507 million for both stages);
- An increase in critical care beds from 10 to 25 beds by November 2009 ($12.319 million); and
- A 90 place child minding facility to be completed by mid 2010 ($2.183 million).
Mr McGinty said the expansion was part of a $4 billion program to redevelop the State's hospitals and health facilities.
"We are making decisions for the future, and working to ensure our strong economy is delivering better services now and into the future, " he said.
"The State Government has developed a ten-year health blueprint with a massive capital works program for hospitals right across the State.
"We are ensuring that Western Australians have access to the best and most appropriate health care possible closer to where they live."
