Healthcare Infrastructure Boost in WA

By Petrina Smith
Tuesday, 08 July, 2014

Twenty-six small hospitals and nursing posts in the Central Wheatbelt and Great Southern regions of Western Australia will be upgraded as part of a major $325.8million healthcare infrastructure boost.

Health Minister Kim Hames and Regional Development Minister Terry Redman today announced $108.8million of funding for a range of health projects as part of the State Government’s Southern Inland Health Initiative (SIHI).

Dr Hames said work on the hospital upgrades and nursing posts was expected to start before the end of the year and be complete late in 2016.

“Community consultations and planning will continue to be undertaken to determine what works will be carried out to the small hospitals and nursing posts,” he said. “In some cases the works may involve infrastructure upgrades and may include an upgrade to the existing facility, this will be determined during the planning and consultation phase.”

Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said planning for health reform has been under way since 2011 and a number of milestones had been reached to date.

“These include the installation of Telehealth strategy across the region, an attraction strategy to increase the number of General Practitioners in regional towns, a 24/7 roster in larger emergency departments and an Emergency Telehealth Service,” Mr Redman said.

The $325.8million SIHI investment will involve $173.7million worth of upgrades to six district hospitals, $108.8million for upgrades and refurbishment of small hospitals and nursing posts and a further $43.3million towards the Primary Health Care Demonstration Site program, with the first two sites in Pingelly and Cunderdin under way.

The towns to benefit from the small hospital and nursing post refurbishment are:

Wheatbelt

Lake Grace; Wagin; Dalwallinu; Jurien Bay; Moora; York; Southern Cross; Boddington; Dumbleyung; Beverley; Wundowie; Wyalkatchem; Goomalling; Wongan Hills; Bruce Rock; Kellerberrin; Kununoppin; Quairading; Corrigin; Narembeen; Kondinin; Mukinbudin and Williams

Great Southern

Kojonup; Gnowangerup and Tambellup