❓ The Minister for Health provides an update on the Tom Price District Hospital redevelopment, citing land tenure issues, construction market challenges, and collaboration with Rio Tinto and the Shire of Ashburton. They highlight investments in infrastructure, telehealth, and models of care across regional WA.
AnsweredQoN 736Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOM PRICE DISTRICT
HOSPITAL — REDEVELOPMENT
736. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the redevelopment of Tom
Price District Hospital. Can the minister provide an update regarding the
status of significant works at the existing hospital site, the feasibility
study and land assembly work on the proposed new site, and the time line for
commencement and completion of the project?
HOSPITAL — REDEVELOPMENT
736. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the redevelopment of Tom
Price District Hospital. Can the minister provide an update regarding the
status of significant works at the existing hospital site, the feasibility
study and land assembly work on the proposed new site, and the time line for
commencement and completion of the project?
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the member for North West Central for some notice of the question. The
Cook Labor government is absolutely committed to improving health
services across our region in Western Australia both through investment in infrastructure and upgrading different models of
service and care. WA Country Health Service staff do an incredible job.
I think we all agree that they do an outstanding job in regional Western Australia
in often very challenging circumstances, and the government is absolutely
committed to delivering them and the community world-class facilities and
resources.
Planning
for the Tom Price hospital is continuing, and I am continuing to work closely
with the WA Country Health Service and Rio Tinto, which has provided $20
million in funding towards the project, to ensure that it progresses as quickly
as it can. We have identified a site that is currently vested with the Shire of
Ashburton. The shire is working constructively with WACHS to deliver
appropriate land tenure outcomes so that we are able to build the hospital on
that land. As with all infrastructure projects, once a managing contractor is
appointed, we will work with it to establish the program of works that will
include indicative time frames for construction and completion.
The reality is that it is an
incredibly challenging construction market at the moment, particularly in
regional parts of Western Australia. It does not get much more regional than
Tom Price. It is very challenging to build within the metropolitan area, let
alone in regional Western Australia, and at a reasonable cost to taxpayers. It
has to be done responsibly. We are absolutely committed to redeveloping and
rebuilding Tom Price hospital, and we will have more to say once we have
resolved the land tenure issues with the Shire of Ashburton. I acknowledge that
this project has taken sometime, as it has
with other regional projects, because of those challenging construction markets and making sure that the taxpayers of Western Australia get best value for money.
We will continue to work with the sector to deliver those outcomes. The
government is frustrated by some of the time frames and the limited market
available. There simply are not many market-ready construction companies that
can build in regional WA. That is the reality. We are working to invite other
international players into the market to make sure that we have a competitive
market and there is broad interest in these projects. We continue to invest,
but not only in Tom Price. With the former Premier, we recently opened the
$61.4 million redevelopment of Newman Health Service that is absolutely
outstanding. That project also had a $15 million contribution from BHP.
Infrastructure
is one way that we upgrade and deliver high quality services. Models of care
and upgrading technology is a really important way to deliver emergency
care into really remote and regional areas. We are doing that by upgrading our
emergency telehealth service with our $24 million investment. We have
introduced the virtual 24/7 stroke care
services that are world leading in an area the size of Western Australia. We
have provided mental health emergency telehealth service teams and
midwifery and obstetrics emergency telehealth teams that give emergency care
and support to women and staff on the site and tele-chemotherapy. Innovation is
as important as infrastructure, and we are absolutely committed to both.
thank the member for North West Central for some notice of the question. The
Cook Labor government is absolutely committed to improving health
services across our region in Western Australia both through investment in infrastructure and upgrading different models of
service and care. WA Country Health Service staff do an incredible job.
I think we all agree that they do an outstanding job in regional Western Australia
in often very challenging circumstances, and the government is absolutely
committed to delivering them and the community world-class facilities and
resources.
Planning
for the Tom Price hospital is continuing, and I am continuing to work closely
with the WA Country Health Service and Rio Tinto, which has provided $20
million in funding towards the project, to ensure that it progresses as quickly
as it can. We have identified a site that is currently vested with the Shire of
Ashburton. The shire is working constructively with WACHS to deliver
appropriate land tenure outcomes so that we are able to build the hospital on
that land. As with all infrastructure projects, once a managing contractor is
appointed, we will work with it to establish the program of works that will
include indicative time frames for construction and completion.
The reality is that it is an
incredibly challenging construction market at the moment, particularly in
regional parts of Western Australia. It does not get much more regional than
Tom Price. It is very challenging to build within the metropolitan area, let
alone in regional Western Australia, and at a reasonable cost to taxpayers. It
has to be done responsibly. We are absolutely committed to redeveloping and
rebuilding Tom Price hospital, and we will have more to say once we have
resolved the land tenure issues with the Shire of Ashburton. I acknowledge that
this project has taken sometime, as it has
with other regional projects, because of those challenging construction markets and making sure that the taxpayers of Western Australia get best value for money.
We will continue to work with the sector to deliver those outcomes. The
government is frustrated by some of the time frames and the limited market
available. There simply are not many market-ready construction companies that
can build in regional WA. That is the reality. We are working to invite other
international players into the market to make sure that we have a competitive
market and there is broad interest in these projects. We continue to invest,
but not only in Tom Price. With the former Premier, we recently opened the
$61.4 million redevelopment of Newman Health Service that is absolutely
outstanding. That project also had a $15 million contribution from BHP.
Infrastructure
is one way that we upgrade and deliver high quality services. Models of care
and upgrading technology is a really important way to deliver emergency
care into really remote and regional areas. We are doing that by upgrading our
emergency telehealth service with our $24 million investment. We have
introduced the virtual 24/7 stroke care
services that are world leading in an area the size of Western Australia. We
have provided mental health emergency telehealth service teams and
midwifery and obstetrics emergency telehealth teams that give emergency care
and support to women and staff on the site and tele-chemotherapy. Innovation is
as important as infrastructure, and we are absolutely committed to both.
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