❓ Opposition Leader questions the Premier about the capacity of the new Perth Children's Hospital, suggesting it will be inadequate despite expert advice and Telethon fundraising efforts. The Premier defends the hospital's size and future expansion plans.
AnsweredQoN 634Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
NEW CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL — CAPACITY
634. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
On behalf of the member for Mandurah, I acknowledge the
students and teachers from Riverside Primary School who are in the gallery this
afternoon. I also acknowledge, on behalf of the member for Albany, the students
from John Calvin School Albany and thank them for the portraits that they have
provided of a number of members in this place. The member for Kalamunda even
has hair in his portrait, so it is a very good portrait. I also acknowledge the
members for Victoria Park, Gosnells and Armadale, and the former member for
Pilbara and Minister for Local Government, for walking 100 kilometres over
Friday and Saturday on behalf of Oxfam. Well done.
Premier, I note the generosity of
Western Australians in pledging over $20 million to Telethon for children's
health.
(1) Will the
Premier now make the commitment to deliver the extra floor for the Perth
Children's Hospital that the state needs to meet the needs of children
for years to come?
(2) Why is the
Premier ignoring the advice coming from people and organisations like Rosanna
Capolingua, Rick Parish and the Telethon Adventurers, and the Australian
Medical Association, that the taxpayer-funded new Perth Children's
Hospital will not be big enough?
634. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
On behalf of the member for Mandurah, I acknowledge the
students and teachers from Riverside Primary School who are in the gallery this
afternoon. I also acknowledge, on behalf of the member for Albany, the students
from John Calvin School Albany and thank them for the portraits that they have
provided of a number of members in this place. The member for Kalamunda even
has hair in his portrait, so it is a very good portrait. I also acknowledge the
members for Victoria Park, Gosnells and Armadale, and the former member for
Pilbara and Minister for Local Government, for walking 100 kilometres over
Friday and Saturday on behalf of Oxfam. Well done.
Premier, I note the generosity of
Western Australians in pledging over $20 million to Telethon for children's
health.
(1) Will the
Premier now make the commitment to deliver the extra floor for the Perth
Children's Hospital that the state needs to meet the needs of children
for years to come?
(2) Why is the
Premier ignoring the advice coming from people and organisations like Rosanna
Capolingua, Rick Parish and the Telethon Adventurers, and the Australian
Medical Association, that the taxpayer-funded new Perth Children's
Hospital will not be big enough?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
The Minister for Health answered this in great detail and repetitively. The
government certainly took note of the concerns raised by members of the
community about the number of beds and the size of what will be Perth Children's
Hospital. It took some time—a couple of months—to go back and
look through all the assumptions, data and planning of that hospital and other
metropolitan hospitals. It was on that basis the government decided not to put
another level into the main ward block. The new hospital will have 48 more beds
than Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. Its floor area will be 52 per
cent bigger than Princess Margaret and the major key areas will be
substantially bigger—the emergency department is 80 per cent bigger
than Princess Margaret as it stands today. In addition, as part of metropolitan
planning, and as the Minister for Health explained last week, there will be
additional paediatric beds in Fiona Stanley Hospital, Midland Health Campus and
possibly Joondalup Health Campus. That is part of the planning. At some stage,
given the growth in population, if the point is reached and Perth Children's
Hospital needs to expand, the central core block has been designed to have a
further four storeys, adding 48, plus 48, plus 48, plus 48 beds.
Mr R.H. Cook : So
was Princess Margaret Hospital, but no-one ever did it. It doesn't
happen.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Kwinana, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The central core building is designed to have a further four levels added when
and if that is required, which will basically allow for another 200 beds to be
added in the future. That is very significant. Again, as the Minister for
Health said last week, at some stage the women's hospital, King Edward
Memorial Hospital, will be relocated next to the children's hospital,
and that will allow for very young babies to move from the children's
hospital into the women's hospital. That is another 24 beds. This has
been planned properly.
In response to the initial comment made by the Leader of the
Opposition, the raising of funds through Telethon was outstanding. I again
thank the people of Western Australia for their generosity. Telethon is an
extraordinary fundraising effort and the extent to which it is supported is
almost unique around the world. That money will be well spent. As I announced
at Telethon, the state government is also partnering with Telethon to each
allocate $2 million to child health research. That is in addition to the state
government donation on behalf of all Western Australians of $500 000.
The Minister for Health answered this in great detail and repetitively. The
government certainly took note of the concerns raised by members of the
community about the number of beds and the size of what will be Perth Children's
Hospital. It took some time—a couple of months—to go back and
look through all the assumptions, data and planning of that hospital and other
metropolitan hospitals. It was on that basis the government decided not to put
another level into the main ward block. The new hospital will have 48 more beds
than Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. Its floor area will be 52 per
cent bigger than Princess Margaret and the major key areas will be
substantially bigger—the emergency department is 80 per cent bigger
than Princess Margaret as it stands today. In addition, as part of metropolitan
planning, and as the Minister for Health explained last week, there will be
additional paediatric beds in Fiona Stanley Hospital, Midland Health Campus and
possibly Joondalup Health Campus. That is part of the planning. At some stage,
given the growth in population, if the point is reached and Perth Children's
Hospital needs to expand, the central core block has been designed to have a
further four storeys, adding 48, plus 48, plus 48, plus 48 beds.
Mr R.H. Cook : So
was Princess Margaret Hospital, but no-one ever did it. It doesn't
happen.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Kwinana, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The central core building is designed to have a further four levels added when
and if that is required, which will basically allow for another 200 beds to be
added in the future. That is very significant. Again, as the Minister for
Health said last week, at some stage the women's hospital, King Edward
Memorial Hospital, will be relocated next to the children's hospital,
and that will allow for very young babies to move from the children's
hospital into the women's hospital. That is another 24 beds. This has
been planned properly.
In response to the initial comment made by the Leader of the
Opposition, the raising of funds through Telethon was outstanding. I again
thank the people of Western Australia for their generosity. Telethon is an
extraordinary fundraising effort and the extent to which it is supported is
almost unique around the world. That money will be well spent. As I announced
at Telethon, the state government is also partnering with Telethon to each
allocate $2 million to child health research. That is in addition to the state
government donation on behalf of all Western Australians of $500 000.
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