❓ Mrs. Stojkovski asks about the new women's hospital, and the Minister for Health outlines the need for the upgrade, the planning underway, and the commitment to preserving heritage values at the current site.
AnsweredQoN 378Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WOMEN'S AND BABIES'
HOSPITAL — UPGRADE
378. Mrs J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the tremendous decision
by the McGowan Labor government to commit 65 per cent from the sale of the TAB
towards building a new women's hospital.
(1) Can the minister outline to the
house why a new women's hospital is needed?
(2) Can the minister advise the
house what work is currently underway in planning for the new hospital?
HOSPITAL — UPGRADE
378. Mrs J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the tremendous decision
by the McGowan Labor government to commit 65 per cent from the sale of the TAB
towards building a new women's hospital.
(1) Can the minister outline to the
house why a new women's hospital is needed?
(2) Can the minister advise the
house what work is currently underway in planning for the new hospital?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for the question. It was a great announcement in the budget
with regard to the future of the women's and babies' hospital
here in Western Australia. Members will be aware that one of the issues
identified in the sustainable health review is the need to upgrade the women's
and babies' hospital in Western Australia and move it from its current
site to the QEII site so that it can be part of an innovative health campus and
provide world-class health care for the women who go there to have their
children.
We responded to the conclusions of
the sustainable health review and have set aside $3.3 million in this budget to
begin early works with respect to the planning and development of that hospital
proposal. It is obviously a fairly complex
piece of work, because although we are moving a hospital to a constrained site,
in addition we are moving it onto a site that already has an operational hospital,
including Perth Children's Hospital. It will be a difficult
project, but it is one that we need to do. This was identified in the early
2000s as part of the Reid review for hospital services in this state. The $3.3 million
is important money for early planning work, which I am very pleased to say is
in the budget, but I am delighted that the government has decided to commit 65 per
cent of the proceeds of the sale of the TAB to a new women's and babies'
hospital. It represents an investment in the future of this state. There has
been commentary about how it somehow represents services going to Perth; it
does not. This hospital is a place where the vast majority of women in Western Australia—6
000 a year—go to have their babies. They come from all over the state,
and, I must say, many come from rural and regional communities, particularly
those from an Aboriginal background who are experiencing complications with
their birth. This is a tertiary hospital that provides high-level care and we
are making sure that we continue to deliver for women and babies into the
future.
Obviously, on the current site, there
are some heritage values that we need to protect. I want to assure the people
of Western Australia that Harvey House and the memorial garden at the front of
that house will be protected under any plan. I want to assure those parents who
have used that memorial garden to remember their newborns that we will preserve
that site to make sure that those memories are preserved.
It is time that we plan for the
future for our health system. We have identified that King Edward Memorial
Hospital for Women is in dire need of repair. I want to express my appreciation
to the doctors, nurses and other staff who work there. It is an old hospital
that has done a terrific service for the people of Western Australia, but it is
now time to look forward. Thank goodness for the McGowan government; we are now
starting to produce the resources that we need to deliver on that.
thank the member for the question. It was a great announcement in the budget
with regard to the future of the women's and babies' hospital
here in Western Australia. Members will be aware that one of the issues
identified in the sustainable health review is the need to upgrade the women's
and babies' hospital in Western Australia and move it from its current
site to the QEII site so that it can be part of an innovative health campus and
provide world-class health care for the women who go there to have their
children.
We responded to the conclusions of
the sustainable health review and have set aside $3.3 million in this budget to
begin early works with respect to the planning and development of that hospital
proposal. It is obviously a fairly complex
piece of work, because although we are moving a hospital to a constrained site,
in addition we are moving it onto a site that already has an operational hospital,
including Perth Children's Hospital. It will be a difficult
project, but it is one that we need to do. This was identified in the early
2000s as part of the Reid review for hospital services in this state. The $3.3 million
is important money for early planning work, which I am very pleased to say is
in the budget, but I am delighted that the government has decided to commit 65 per
cent of the proceeds of the sale of the TAB to a new women's and babies'
hospital. It represents an investment in the future of this state. There has
been commentary about how it somehow represents services going to Perth; it
does not. This hospital is a place where the vast majority of women in Western Australia—6
000 a year—go to have their babies. They come from all over the state,
and, I must say, many come from rural and regional communities, particularly
those from an Aboriginal background who are experiencing complications with
their birth. This is a tertiary hospital that provides high-level care and we
are making sure that we continue to deliver for women and babies into the
future.
Obviously, on the current site, there
are some heritage values that we need to protect. I want to assure the people
of Western Australia that Harvey House and the memorial garden at the front of
that house will be protected under any plan. I want to assure those parents who
have used that memorial garden to remember their newborns that we will preserve
that site to make sure that those memories are preserved.
It is time that we plan for the
future for our health system. We have identified that King Edward Memorial
Hospital for Women is in dire need of repair. I want to express my appreciation
to the doctors, nurses and other staff who work there. It is an old hospital
that has done a terrific service for the people of Western Australia, but it is
now time to look forward. Thank goodness for the McGowan government; we are now
starting to produce the resources that we need to deliver on that.
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