RPH revamp full steam ahead

Health minister Kim Hames said planning for the redevelopment of Royal Perth Hospital is well under way, refuting claims from the opposition spokesperson for health that the redevelopment was in doubt.

Dr Hames released a statement today that said the state government was "full steam ahead" in planning the redevelopment of RPH into a 400-bed tertiary hospital.

The revamped RPH proposal will likely include a new emergency department and west wing, as well as proposals for the future use of the remainder of the building.

The redevelopment plans are being overseen by former department of housing and works director general Greg Joyce and a committee that includes representatives form the City of Perth.

Dr Hames said it was important to remember that the government had maintained the RPH redevelopment was a project for its second term in government.

Dr Hames was responding to claims from opposition spokesperson for health Roger Cook, who said there were serious doubts about the redevelopment of the hospital.

"The minister is obviously starting to hear what everyone has been telling him from day one, that the redevelopment of RPH will compromise WA's health system and the state's finances," Mr Cook said in a statement released yesterday.

The Minister's and the opposition's statements are below:

New plans under way for Royal Perth Hospital redevelopment.

Planning for the redevelopment of Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) to become a major
400-bed tertiary hospital is under way, Health Minister Kim Hames said today.

"The State Government is full-steam ahead in planning the redevelopment of RPH and it is important to remember that we always said this was a project for our second term of Government," Dr Hames said.

The redevelopment is likely to include a new emergency department and west wing, as well as proposals for the future use of the remainder of the building.

It is being overseen by former Department of Housing and Works director general
Greg Joyce, whose redevelopment committee includes representatives from the City of Perth.

The Minister said the Government was moving ahead with its 2008 election promise to keep RPH open, despite continued resistance from the Opposition to retaining the hospital and protecting its future in legislation.

"It's unfortunate that Labor members, including those in the eastern suburbs whose electorates would most benefit from the retention of RPH, do not have an understanding of the health reforms being undertaken," he said.

"These Labor members are looking to punish people in the eastern suburbs with a pig-headed push to close our major, centrally-located hospital as a tertiary hospital.

"In 2001, Labor promised to fix the health system and after eight years in government the reverse happened.

"The Liberal-National Government is providing stronger investment and new ways of working to achieve better hospitals, better surgeries, better emergency services and better treatment across the board."

Royal Perth Hospital redevelopment plans in doubt

Shadow Health Minister Roger Cook today called on the Barnett Government to come clean on its plans for Royal Perth Hospital.

Mr Cook said there were now serious doubts about the re-development of the hospital and whether the Government intends to keep its election promise.

"The Barnett Government promised to keep and „transform RPH into a 400-bed trauma facility with a new emergency department and a new west wing‟," Mr Cook said.

"Now it seems the Minister is only promising to keep the hospital after it was revealed in Parliament that no funding would be available for the redevelopment of RPH until the next term of Government - past 2013.

"The wheels seem to have fallen off the Minister's private crusade on RPH.

"The Barnett Government has betrayed Western Australians who thought that a vote for the Liberal Party was a vote for a redeveloped RPH.

"It is clear that the Minister no longer stands by his promise to the people of Western
Australia."

Mr Cook said the RPH redevelopment was fast becoming a problem for the Government that the Minister would rather forget.

"The Minister is obviously starting to hear what everyone has been telling him from day one, that the redevelopment of RPH will compromise WA's health system and the State's finances."

Mr Cook said the Minister was yet to explain his plans to develop residential units at the hospital to pay for the hospital's redevelopment.

"In April 2009, Dr Hames outlined a plan to sell off part of the hospital to avoid the crippling costs of redeveloping the hospital," Mr Cook said.
"This plan seems to have been another Barnett Government thought bubble that never eventuates."