❓ A WA parliamentary question sought details on state-run mortuaries, including capacity, funding, and regulatory compliance. The response provides data on mortuary and surge capacities across WA hospitals, funding allocations, and recent upgrade history.
AnsweredQoN 656Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to State run
mortuaries, which are often co-located at hospitals run by the Department of
Health, and I ask: (a) how many public hospitals have mortuaries; (b) for each hospital with a mortuary, how many
bodies can be stored in each of those mortuaries; (c) what are both the capacities and surge
capacities for each public hospital with a mortuary; (d) has the Department of Health recently changed any policies
regarding the storage of bodies: (i) if yes to (d), what was the change(s) and why did the change(s) occur; (e) how much funding was spent in each of the
following financial years to specifically develop capacity at state mortuaries: (i) 2018-19; (ii) 2019-20; and (iii) 2020-21; (f) for
all mortuaries in (b), when was the last time those mortuaries received
some sort of funding for upgrades; (g) are any mortuaries being investigated for not
being up to regulatory standard; and (h) have any mortuaries failed to be up to
regulatory standards since 2017: (i) if yes to (h), please detail the date that this failure was identified and the date the issue was resolved for each incident?
mortuaries, which are often co-located at hospitals run by the Department of
Health, and I ask: (a) how many public hospitals have mortuaries; (b) for each hospital with a mortuary, how many
bodies can be stored in each of those mortuaries; (c) what are both the capacities and surge
capacities for each public hospital with a mortuary; (d) has the Department of Health recently changed any policies
regarding the storage of bodies: (i) if yes to (d), what was the change(s) and why did the change(s) occur; (e) how much funding was spent in each of the
following financial years to specifically develop capacity at state mortuaries: (i) 2018-19; (ii) 2019-20; and (iii) 2020-21; (f) for
all mortuaries in (b), when was the last time those mortuaries received
some sort of funding for upgrades; (g) are any mortuaries being investigated for not
being up to regulatory standard; and (h) have any mortuaries failed to be up to
regulatory standards since 2017: (i) if yes to (h), please detail the date that this failure was identified and the date the issue was resolved for each incident?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 June 2022
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Health
Response time
12 days
(a) 66 public hospitals have mortuaries. WACHS hospitals liaise with local funeral directors for assistance if additional capacity is required. WACHS hospitals can also liaise with other regions and metropolitan facilities to assist with capacity.
(b) – (c)
Region
Hospital
(b) Morgue Capacity
(c) Surge Capacity
Metropolitan
State Mortuary (QEII)
140
50-60
Fiona Stanley Hospital
42
51
Perth Children’s Hospital
3
0
Royal Perth Hospital
29
20
Armadale Hospital
2
0*
King Edward Memorial Hospital#
22
0
Fremantle Hospital
10
0
Rockingham General Hospital
10
0
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Great Southern
Albany Hospital
8
7
Local Funeral Directors
Gnowangerup Hospital
2
0
Katanning Hospital
2
6
Narrogin Funeral Directors
Kojonup Hospital
2
0
Ravensthorpe Hospital
2
0
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Kimberley
Broome Hospital
21
12
Derby Hospital
12
24
Fitzroy Crossing Hospital
6
0
Halls Creek Hospital
8
0
Kununurra Hospital
24
0
Wyndham Hospital
3
0
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Midwest
Carnarvon Hospital
7
Cool Room Hire
Dongara Multi-Purpose Health C
1
Geraldton Hospital
Exmouth Hospital
3
Local Funeral Directors
Geraldton Hospital
5
Local Funeral Directors
Kalbarri Health Centre
2
Geraldton Regional Hospital
Meekatharra Hospital
4
Local Funeral Directors
Morawa Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Mullewa Hospital
2
Morawa Hospital. If no capacity, transfer to Geraldton Regional Hospital
Northampton Hospital
2
Geraldton Regional Hospital
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Goldfields
Esperance Hospital
4
8
Kalgoorlie Hospital
12
5
Laverton Hospital
2
0
Leonora Hospital
2
0
Norseman Hospital
2
3
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Pilbara
Hedland Health Campus
12
0
Region Hire of refrigerated container
Karratha Health Campus
8
0
Newman Hospital
4
0
Onslow Hospital
4
0
Paraburdoo Hospital
2
0
Tom Price Hospital
2
0
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
South West
Augusta Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Boyup Brook Soldiers Memorial
1
Local Funeral Directors
Bridgetown Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Bunbury Hospital
10
Local Funeral Directors
Busselton Hospital
4
Local Funeral Directors
Collie Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Harvey Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Margaret River Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Nannup Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Pemberton Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Warren Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Beverley Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Wheatbelt
Corrigin Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Dalwallinu Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Jurien Bay Health Centre
1
Local Funeral Directors
Kellerberrin Memorial Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Kununoppin Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Lake Grace Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Merredin Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Moora Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Narrogin Hospital
6
Local Funeral Directors
Northam Hospital
6
Local Funeral Directors
Southern Cross Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Wagin Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Wongan Hills Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Wyalkatchem-Koorda and District Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
York Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
(d) No.
(i) Not applicable.
(e) (i) $34,354
(ii) $367,789.30
(iii) $156,293
(f) All Health Service Providers may request funding for a range of infrastructure projects. Refer to the table below for a list of mortuaries that have received funding in the last 5 years.
Health Service
Provider
Hospital
Year
Western Australian
Country Health Service
Katanning Hospital
2017
Lake Grace Hospital
2018
Karratha Health Campus
2018
Onslow Hospital
2018
Meekatharra Hospital
2019
Newman Hospital
2019
Laverton Hospital
2020
Southern Cross Hospital
2020
Beverley Hospital
2021
Kalgoorlie Hospital
2021
Leonora Hospital
2022
North Metropolitan
Health Service
State Mortuary (QEII)
2022
East Metropolitan
Health Service
Royal Perth Hospital
2019-20 (FY)
Fremantle Hospital
2019-20 (FY)
South Metropolitan
Health Service
Fiona Stanley Hospital
2021-22 (FY)
(g) – (h) No.
(i) Not applicable.
(b) – (c)
Region
Hospital
(b) Morgue Capacity
(c) Surge Capacity
Metropolitan
State Mortuary (QEII)
140
50-60
Fiona Stanley Hospital
42
51
Perth Children’s Hospital
3
0
Royal Perth Hospital
29
20
Armadale Hospital
2
0*
King Edward Memorial Hospital#
22
0
Fremantle Hospital
10
0
Rockingham General Hospital
10
0
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Great Southern
Albany Hospital
8
7
Local Funeral Directors
Gnowangerup Hospital
2
0
Katanning Hospital
2
6
Narrogin Funeral Directors
Kojonup Hospital
2
0
Ravensthorpe Hospital
2
0
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Kimberley
Broome Hospital
21
12
Derby Hospital
12
24
Fitzroy Crossing Hospital
6
0
Halls Creek Hospital
8
0
Kununurra Hospital
24
0
Wyndham Hospital
3
0
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Midwest
Carnarvon Hospital
7
Cool Room Hire
Dongara Multi-Purpose Health C
1
Geraldton Hospital
Exmouth Hospital
3
Local Funeral Directors
Geraldton Hospital
5
Local Funeral Directors
Kalbarri Health Centre
2
Geraldton Regional Hospital
Meekatharra Hospital
4
Local Funeral Directors
Morawa Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Mullewa Hospital
2
Morawa Hospital. If no capacity, transfer to Geraldton Regional Hospital
Northampton Hospital
2
Geraldton Regional Hospital
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Goldfields
Esperance Hospital
4
8
Kalgoorlie Hospital
12
5
Laverton Hospital
2
0
Leonora Hospital
2
0
Norseman Hospital
2
3
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Pilbara
Hedland Health Campus
12
0
Region Hire of refrigerated container
Karratha Health Campus
8
0
Newman Hospital
4
0
Onslow Hospital
4
0
Paraburdoo Hospital
2
0
Tom Price Hospital
2
0
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
South West
Augusta Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Boyup Brook Soldiers Memorial
1
Local Funeral Directors
Bridgetown Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Bunbury Hospital
10
Local Funeral Directors
Busselton Hospital
4
Local Funeral Directors
Collie Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Harvey Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Margaret River Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Nannup Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Pemberton Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Warren Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Region
Hospital
Morgue Capacity
Surge Capacity
Beverley Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Wheatbelt
Corrigin Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Dalwallinu Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Jurien Bay Health Centre
1
Local Funeral Directors
Kellerberrin Memorial Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Kununoppin Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Lake Grace Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Merredin Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Moora Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Narrogin Hospital
6
Local Funeral Directors
Northam Hospital
6
Local Funeral Directors
Southern Cross Hospital
2
Local Funeral Directors
Wagin Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Wongan Hills Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
Wyalkatchem-Koorda and District Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
York Hospital
1
Local Funeral Directors
(d) No.
(i) Not applicable.
(e) (i) $34,354
(ii) $367,789.30
(iii) $156,293
(f) All Health Service Providers may request funding for a range of infrastructure projects. Refer to the table below for a list of mortuaries that have received funding in the last 5 years.
Health Service
Provider
Hospital
Year
Western Australian
Country Health Service
Katanning Hospital
2017
Lake Grace Hospital
2018
Karratha Health Campus
2018
Onslow Hospital
2018
Meekatharra Hospital
2019
Newman Hospital
2019
Laverton Hospital
2020
Southern Cross Hospital
2020
Beverley Hospital
2021
Kalgoorlie Hospital
2021
Leonora Hospital
2022
North Metropolitan
Health Service
State Mortuary (QEII)
2022
East Metropolitan
Health Service
Royal Perth Hospital
2019-20 (FY)
Fremantle Hospital
2019-20 (FY)
South Metropolitan
Health Service
Fiona Stanley Hospital
2021-22 (FY)
(g) – (h) No.
(i) Not applicable.
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