❓ The Minister for Health details a $400 million investment in WA's health system, adding 270 new beds and staffing, to prepare for COVID-19 and address hospital demand. The investment builds upon previous funding and aims to bolster capacity and attract healthcare professionals.
AnsweredQoN 713Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — HEALTH SYSTEM CAPACITY
713. Ms C.M. TONKIN to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's
significant investment in addressing the unprecedented demand on our hospitals.
Can the minister update the house on how the recently announced $400 million
investment in our health system will further expand the capacity of our
hospitals and ensure that WA remains prepared for any major outbreak of
COVID-19?
713. Ms C.M. TONKIN to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's
significant investment in addressing the unprecedented demand on our hospitals.
Can the minister update the house on how the recently announced $400 million
investment in our health system will further expand the capacity of our
hospitals and ensure that WA remains prepared for any major outbreak of
COVID-19?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question
and for her ongoing support of our public hospital system—not a sentiment
shared by the other side of the chamber, I am very sad to report.
I
had the absolute pleasure last week of joining the Premier to announce a $400 million
investment in 270 new beds across the health system to increase capacity
and to make sure that we are extra prepared for when COVID-19 ultimately makes
its way into our community. This investment builds on the massive $1.9 billion
health investment we made in 2021–22 and equates to one of the biggest
investments in the health system in the state's history. The extra
funding will result in additional beds being progressively rolled out, for a total
of 530 additional beds in the health system over the next year. This will help
address demand in our hospitals and build extra capacity as a longer term
safeguard for WA's transition.
The 270 beds, costing around $206.8
million, will be supported by $191.2 million to fund 410 extra nurses and more than 180 extra doctors on our hospital wards.
A $2 million local, national and international advertising campaign will
help us attract the great doctors and nurses, from both over east and overseas,
we want to come into our health system. There will be 150 beds across a range
of hospitals, including 74 general beds, 40 ICU beds and 36 leased public beds
in private hospitals. As part of this, there will also be an additional 26
public beds at Hollywood Private Hospital and 10 at South Perth Hospital Inc.
The
member for Churchlands might be interested to know that Osborne Park Hospital,
Rockingham General Hospital and two
other hospitals, including one regional site, will benefit from an expansion to
deliver 120 new beds to provide additional temporary capacity in line
with increased demand. This will utilise a modular construction technique so
that patients who need subacute care can be accommodated in temporary
facilities, ensuring that our acute beds are available for COVID-19 patients.
Since
January 2021, 1 158 nurses and midwives and 440 doctors have been recruited to
work in the WA public health system.
In addition to that, 1 200 graduate nurses are expected to be employed in 2022.
That is a massive investment to make sure that we transition safely to
the next stage of our experience of the global pandemic, but also to make sure
that during this peak of demand, our hospitals have the doctors, nurses,
resources and beds that they need to continue to provide great care.
and for her ongoing support of our public hospital system—not a sentiment
shared by the other side of the chamber, I am very sad to report.
I
had the absolute pleasure last week of joining the Premier to announce a $400 million
investment in 270 new beds across the health system to increase capacity
and to make sure that we are extra prepared for when COVID-19 ultimately makes
its way into our community. This investment builds on the massive $1.9 billion
health investment we made in 2021–22 and equates to one of the biggest
investments in the health system in the state's history. The extra
funding will result in additional beds being progressively rolled out, for a total
of 530 additional beds in the health system over the next year. This will help
address demand in our hospitals and build extra capacity as a longer term
safeguard for WA's transition.
The 270 beds, costing around $206.8
million, will be supported by $191.2 million to fund 410 extra nurses and more than 180 extra doctors on our hospital wards.
A $2 million local, national and international advertising campaign will
help us attract the great doctors and nurses, from both over east and overseas,
we want to come into our health system. There will be 150 beds across a range
of hospitals, including 74 general beds, 40 ICU beds and 36 leased public beds
in private hospitals. As part of this, there will also be an additional 26
public beds at Hollywood Private Hospital and 10 at South Perth Hospital Inc.
The
member for Churchlands might be interested to know that Osborne Park Hospital,
Rockingham General Hospital and two
other hospitals, including one regional site, will benefit from an expansion to
deliver 120 new beds to provide additional temporary capacity in line
with increased demand. This will utilise a modular construction technique so
that patients who need subacute care can be accommodated in temporary
facilities, ensuring that our acute beds are available for COVID-19 patients.
Since
January 2021, 1 158 nurses and midwives and 440 doctors have been recruited to
work in the WA public health system.
In addition to that, 1 200 graduate nurses are expected to be employed in 2022.
That is a massive investment to make sure that we transition safely to
the next stage of our experience of the global pandemic, but also to make sure
that during this peak of demand, our hospitals have the doctors, nurses,
resources and beds that they need to continue to provide great care.
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