The state government has given the go-ahead to a $230 million major expansion of the Joondalup Health Campus, which will double the size of the existing facility.
The state government has given the go-ahead to a $230 million major expansion of the Joondalup Health Campus, which will double the size of the existing facility.
The expansion, undertaken in partnership with Ramsay Health Care which operates the campus, will deliver healthcare to public patients under a long-standing and successful private public partnership with the Department of Health.
"I am delighted to announce the long-awaited expansion of the Joondalup Health Campus," Health Minister Kim Hames said.
"The State Government is investing $229.8million to significantly expand public hospital facilities at Joondalup.
Work will begin in 2009 and is expected to be completed in 2013. Staged construction work will enable the existing hospital to continue to operate normally during this period."
Dr Hames said the expansion of the Joondalup Health Campus would transform hospital care for people living in Perth's northern corridor.
"The expanded hospital will be twice the size of the existing facility. There will be a 61 per cent increase in bed numbers for public patients - from the current 280 beds to 451 beds by 2013," he said.
"An additional 20-bed dialysis service will also be established in the vicinity. There will be 11 new operating theatres, replacing the existing six."
The Minister said a new state-of-the-art Emergency Department would also be built.
"The Emergency Department at Joondalup is the now the busiest in the State treating more than 63,000 patients per year," he said.
"The new Emergency Department will be almost two and a half times the size of the existing department.
"The new facilities will enable us to significantly expand the range and breadth of clinical services offered at Joondalup which will ensure many more patients can receive hospital care much closer to home instead of having to travel to other hospitals."
Joondalup Health Campus chief executive Kempton Cowan described the State Government's announcement as a major milestone.
"This will be a huge boost for the staff and patients of Joondalup Health Campus and also for the people living in Perth's northern corridor," Mr Cowan said.
"The northern corridor is one of the fastest growing regions of our State and the country. We have seen phenomenal population growth in recent years, which in turn has resulted in extraordinary demand for hospital services and is set to continue in the years ahead.
"This major $229.8 million commitment from the State Government will ensure we have the facilities to meet not only current demand but also the needs of our patients into the future."
The new private hospital at Joondalup Health Campus is set to open in 2012. This initial stage of the facility will have 85 beds.
"By 2013, the expanded Joondalup Health Campus will have a combined total of 536 beds making it the third largest hospital in the Perth metropolitan area," Mr Cowan said.
North Metropolitan Area Health Service chief executive Dr David Russell-Weisz, which manages the Department of Health's contract with Ramsay Health Care, said the expansion of Joondalup Health Campus was integral to plans to reform public health services across Perth.
"We have embarked on a major reform program across Perth to ensure more patients can receive the care they need closer to home and outside hospital wherever possible," Dr Russell-Weisz said.
"The expansion of Joondalup Health Campus is integral to this program as it will mean thousands of patients who currently travel to hospitals elsewhere will soon be able to receive treatment on their doorstep."
