PPP one option for new Midland hospital

The state government says it has yet to decide how to fund the new $360 million Midland Health Campus amid claims a private public partnership will cost jobs and jeopardise patient care.

State Opposition Leader Eric Ripper said today that plans to privatise the construction and operation of the hospital raises serious concerns for the quality of health care in the state.

He said the proposal to outsource the day-to-day operation of the hospital to a private company through a private public partnership (PPP) would inevitably have implications for the quality of healthcare, facilities, maintenance and staff at the hospital.

"It is always difficult for the government to ensure the standard of services the public expects when they don't have direct control of the hospital's operation," Mr Ripper said.

"We've already seen difficulties at privately run hospitals."

A spokesperson for Health Minister Kim Hames said today that details as to how the Midland hospital will be constructed were far from being finalised.

She said the PPP is one option the government is looking at for the hospital, which will be one of the bigger health campuses in WA with about 400 beds.

She added there were no issues with the Joondalup Health Campus, which is a PPP with Ramsay Health.

Construction of the Midland Health Campus, which will be funded equally by both state and federal governments, is excepted to start in 2012 and finish in 2015.