❓ Mr. Hatton asks for an update on the Perth Children's Hospital construction. Dr. Hames provides a positive progress report, highlighting increased capacity, improved facilities, and the government's commitment to the project.
AnsweredQoN 370Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL —
PROGRESS
370. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for
Health:
I would like to quickly acknowledge —
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.D. HATTON : I would like to quickly acknowledge two schools in the chamber
today: firstly, the students from Dunsborough Primary School in the member for
Vasse's electorate. From the member for Wanneroo's electorate,
I welcome the year 6 student leaders from Spring Hill Primary School in
Tapping, and their principal, Ms Wellsteed.
I refer to the construction of Perth
Children's Hospital. Can the minister provide an update on the progress
of this great project?
PROGRESS
370. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for
Health:
I would like to quickly acknowledge —
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.D. HATTON : I would like to quickly acknowledge two schools in the chamber
today: firstly, the students from Dunsborough Primary School in the member for
Vasse's electorate. From the member for Wanneroo's electorate,
I welcome the year 6 student leaders from Spring Hill Primary School in
Tapping, and their principal, Ms Wellsteed.
I refer to the construction of Perth
Children's Hospital. Can the minister provide an update on the progress
of this great project?
AnswerView source ↗
Mr Speaker —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : Can you read your press release?
Dr
K.D. HAMES : I would love to read it out. It is a wonder that the member for
Girrawheen is not here to read it out with me! I do not know why she bothers,
though. The opposition always used to complain that we say things to the public
but we never say them in Parliament. When we say them in Parliament, the
opposition complains, for goodness sake!
It was a great opportunity today to see an absolutely
magnificent hospital in the new $1.2 billion Children's Hospital.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The
member is never funny. He is such a sourpuss!
The amount of $1.2 billion went into the new Children's
Hospital. There are 1 000 staff working on that site at present. The Premier
and I had the opportunity to go and —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : One thousand.
Mr W.J. Johnston :
He said 8 000.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : At the Children's Hospital right now? That might have
been altogether. The Premier reminds me that 1 200 were there today.
As we went through to look at the new rooms in the new
building, it was totally impressive. Seventy-five per cent of those rooms are
now single. The single rooms are about double the size of the previous rooms.
In fact, the whole hospital is 50 per cent bigger than the previous hospital,
but the room size appears to be something like double the size. There is an
area for patients and a separate area for clinical work. There is an ensuite in
every room. Separate to that, there is an area for parents to sleep in a bed.
Members will recall the issues we had at the previous children's
hospital, particularly with oncology staff and staff in ICU. There was nowhere
for patients to go, nowhere for them to sleep and there was no opportunity for
parents to be with their very sick children. This creates a fantastic and
exciting new way to look after patients in this state.
We also visited the intensive care unit. It has gone from
being a 10-bed, very close intensive care unit servicing that whole hospital,
to a very spacious 20-bed unit. There are 10 high-dependency beds and 10
intensive care beds. The 10 that are high dependency can be flexed up to ensure
they can be used as intensive care beds as well. There are 48 additional beds.
There are up to 298 beds at the new hospital. This government is very proud not
just of its total hospital consumption but also remember that the Premier made
a commitment before the election the Liberal Party won in 2008 that his
government would put to the side the stadium that the former government was
going to build. He said that the Children's Hospital was much more
important and his government was going to do that first, and it is nearly
ready.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : Can you read your press release?
Dr
K.D. HAMES : I would love to read it out. It is a wonder that the member for
Girrawheen is not here to read it out with me! I do not know why she bothers,
though. The opposition always used to complain that we say things to the public
but we never say them in Parliament. When we say them in Parliament, the
opposition complains, for goodness sake!
It was a great opportunity today to see an absolutely
magnificent hospital in the new $1.2 billion Children's Hospital.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The
member is never funny. He is such a sourpuss!
The amount of $1.2 billion went into the new Children's
Hospital. There are 1 000 staff working on that site at present. The Premier
and I had the opportunity to go and —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : One thousand.
Mr W.J. Johnston :
He said 8 000.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : At the Children's Hospital right now? That might have
been altogether. The Premier reminds me that 1 200 were there today.
As we went through to look at the new rooms in the new
building, it was totally impressive. Seventy-five per cent of those rooms are
now single. The single rooms are about double the size of the previous rooms.
In fact, the whole hospital is 50 per cent bigger than the previous hospital,
but the room size appears to be something like double the size. There is an
area for patients and a separate area for clinical work. There is an ensuite in
every room. Separate to that, there is an area for parents to sleep in a bed.
Members will recall the issues we had at the previous children's
hospital, particularly with oncology staff and staff in ICU. There was nowhere
for patients to go, nowhere for them to sleep and there was no opportunity for
parents to be with their very sick children. This creates a fantastic and
exciting new way to look after patients in this state.
We also visited the intensive care unit. It has gone from
being a 10-bed, very close intensive care unit servicing that whole hospital,
to a very spacious 20-bed unit. There are 10 high-dependency beds and 10
intensive care beds. The 10 that are high dependency can be flexed up to ensure
they can be used as intensive care beds as well. There are 48 additional beds.
There are up to 298 beds at the new hospital. This government is very proud not
just of its total hospital consumption but also remember that the Premier made
a commitment before the election the Liberal Party won in 2008 that his
government would put to the side the stadium that the former government was
going to build. He said that the Children's Hospital was much more
important and his government was going to do that first, and it is nearly
ready.
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