News

Premier opens new Emergency Department and 55 new beds at Joondalup Health Campus

Mar 03, 2011

Premier Colin Barnett and Health Minister Dr Kim Hames today officially opened the new $29million Emergency Department and $20.8million ward block at Joondalup Health Campus.
Mr Barnett said it was an important day for the families living in Perth’s northern corridor.

“One of the earliest decisions we made as a new Government was to redevelop Joondalup Health Campus and the opening of these new facilities today, only a little more than two years on, marks a major milestone in the redevelopment,” he said.

“The State Government is investing $229.8million to significantly expand public hospital facilities at Joondalup Health Campus over the next two years to enable more people to receive health care locally.

The new Emergency Department has 56 patient bays – an 86 per cent increase on the 30 bays in the previous department – with separate waiting and treatment areas for adults and children.

The ward block has 55 new public beds - 51 bright and spacious single rooms including 10 with private courtyards and two double-bed rooms each with an en-suite bathroom.

“This demonstrates our commitment to deliver real improvements in public hospital services for people living in Perth’s northern suburbs and also shows we are increasing capacity in the State’s health system,” Mr Barnett said.

“The Joondalup Health Campus has been running as private hospital since 1996 after an upgrade by the previous Liberal Government and serves as a great example of how Government and Industry can provide a public service.

Health Minister Dr Kim Hames said the new facilities and increased capacity at Joondalup Health Campus would help to reduce pressure on other hospitals.

“Joondalup Health Campus serves one of the fastest growing areas of Australia with many young families choosing to live in the area,” Dr Hames said.

“Staff treat over 150,000 public patients annually. The hospital is home to one of the busiest Emergency Departments in Western Australia with over 68,000 presentations in 2010.”

The new Emergency Department has 30 adult treatment bays, a 12-bed emergency admission unit for patients requiring observation, a 11 bed paediatric treatment and observation area and three resuscitation bays including a combined adult and paediatric resuscitation bay.

The resuscitation area includes a customised $350,000 digital radiography machine – the first of its type to be installed in an Emergency Department in WA - which can be used to X-ray patients with minimal patient movement.

It produces high quality images in just five seconds, enabling doctors to identify injuries in seriously injured or critically ill patients more quickly.
Other facilities in the new ED include a class 5 negative pressure isolation room for infectious patients and external decontamination showers reflecting the hospital’s role as a designated disaster management site.

The new ward block – the Wanneroo Wing – accommodates aged care, rehabilitation and surgical patients.

“These changes will help reduce waiting times for emergency patients. The new Emergency Department is three times the size of the previous department making it much easier for staff to treat patients,” said Dr Hames.

“Joondalup Health Campus is growing with the community,” Dr Hames said

“The campus will double in size by 2013 with extensive new facilities and expanded services for public and private patients.”

“This includes increasing the number of public inpatient beds by 60 per cent to 451 beds.”

The redevelopment has already delivered an expanded mental health unit for public patients which opened in 2009. In addition to the new Emergency Department and ward block, there will be:

• A 61 per cent increase in beds – 280 public beds to 451 beds public beds in 2013
• A new 145 bed private hospital to open in 2013
• A new specialist medical centre
• 11 new operating theatres replacing the existing six
• A new critical care unit
• A new St John Ambulance depot
• A new child care centre
• Significant new plant and equipment to service the expanded campus
• New car parks for patients, visitors and staff.