Royal Perth Hospital will be shut down and Princess Margaret Hospital relocated to the north block of RPH as part of the State Government’s health reform agenda, leaving two large sites of prime land suitable for redevelopment.
Royal Perth Hospital will be shut down and Princess Margaret Hospital relocated to the north block of RPH as part of the State Government’s health reform agenda, leaving two large sites of prime land suitable for redevelopment.
While initially opposed to any downgrade or the shut down of RPH, City of Perth Lord Mayor Dr Peter Nattrass said he was pleased with the outcome.
“While we would rather RPH didn’t close, we are mindful of a number of broad issues that those in command of the health system must make,” Dr Nattrass told WA Business News.
“It’s not the overall preferred outcome, but it’s still a good outcome.”
The State Government will spend $222 million to relocate PMH and will totally redevelop the site once RPH’s clinical services are relocated to Fiona Stanley Hospital in 2011.
Dr Nattrass said the long lead-time to the shut down of RPH gave the city several options.
RPH employs more than 4,200 people, making it one of the city’s biggest employers.
The City of Subiaco seems unperturbed by the proposed departure of PMH, with the effective doubling of Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in size in its locality also part of the health reform announcements.
The Nedlands facility will become the main teaching hospital for the north metropolitan region.
City of Subiaco director of development Geoff Glass said the city supported the expansion of Charles Gairdner as long as there were commensurate increases in public transport.
He said the City of Subiaco had been promoting the reintroduction of light rail and that expansion of the hospital facilities should only occur if there was a significant increase in public transport capacity.
The departure of PMH from Subiaco leaves a substantial site that has, as yet, not been ear-marked for any specific purpose.
“We haven’t got all the details of the redevelopments yet, and have no indication of what uses are proposed for the significant PMH site and buildings,” Mr Glass said.
“I wouldn’t expect the demolition of the buildings though. I imagine they will be either used for a public purpose or sold off, but they will remain significant development sites and will have significant use.
“The impact of the closure of PMH may be quite marginal; the medical and health industry is the largest employer in Subiaco and we don’t see that changing.
“St John of God is undergoing expansion, so is King Edward Memorial Hospital, and of course Charles Gairdner.”
As part of the major announcement last week in relation to the state’s health system, the Government has allocated $3.6 billion over 10 years for capital works.
In addition to the relocation of PMH and the expansion of Charles Gairdner, $742 million has been allocated for the 610-bed new Fiona Stanley Hospital, $183 million for development of the existing Swan District Hospital or a new hospital in Midland, a $100 million increase in funding for the redevelopment of Joondalup Health Campus, and $58.8 million for country hospitals.
