Western Australia Minister for Health Kim Hames

Builders appointed to Phase 1 of Kalgoorlie Health Campus redevelopment

Victor P Taffa

Builders have been appointed to work on the first phase of the $55.8 million upgrade of Kalgoorlie Health Campus which will involve the construction of a new palliative care addition.

Western Australia Minister for Health Kim Hames said the appointment of the $2.7 million contract to Cooper & Oxley Builders showed the redevelopment was progressing well and would be delivered on schedule.

“Construction of Phase 1 will begin on site in February and this appointment shows we are well on track to delivering this vital stage of the project to the Goldfields community by the end of this year,” Dr Hames said.

“The new palliative care addition to the existing medical ward at the hospital will include three ‘home-style’ purpose-built rooms for the exclusive use of palliative care patients.

“Located close to car parks, with easy access for visitors, each room will have its own ensuite, private courtyard and fold-out sofa bed allowing family, friends or carers to stay overnight with their loved ones.

“In addition, a separate lounge room will be provided for use by patients and their visitors, as well as a private meeting room.”

The Minister said that as part of this first phase of building works, two new electrical switch rooms would also be built and new electrical switch gear purchased.

Later phases of the redevelopment of the Kalgoorlie Health Campus would include building new emergency and medical imaging departments and a new hospital entrance.

Kalgoorlie MLA John Bowler said he was pleased to see the project’s timely progress.

“I welcome the continued development at Kalgoorlie Hospital and the fact the Minister is making sure there are no delays so the project proceeds swiftly. This will be greatly appreciated by the people of the Goldfields,” Mr Bowler said.

John Bowler Kalgoorlie MLA

The State Government’s Royalties for Regions program has provided $15.8 million towards the Kalgoorlie Hospital redevelopment project, which is scheduled for completion in 2013.

Western Australia Minister for Health Kim Hames

Expressions of interest called for Albany Health Campus

Victor P Taffa

Western Australia Minister for Health Minister Kim Hames today announced that expressions of interest (EOI) had been initiated for the first phase of design and construction of the Albany Health Campus.

The move advances the Government’s 2008 election commitment to provide an additional $48.5 Million for construction of the new $135 Million hospital by 2012 on land adjacent to the existing Albany Hospital.

Dr Hames said the EOIs for the purpose-built health campus, which would be delivered under an Early Contractor Involvement model, had been advertised today (Wednesday).

“I’m very pleased progress of the new Albany Health Campus is right on schedule. We have a ‘fast-track’ team in place which has ensured we are on time to meet this important election commitment,” he said.

The model includes two phases. The first will review the current master plan and prepare to design and construct the hospital. The second phase, due to go out to tender late this year, will be for detailed design and construction of the hospital.

“Our actions show that we are going to deliver this project and make real progress – not just empty promises like the previous Labor government,” he said.

The Minister said the Department of Treasury and Finance expected to appoint a preferred proponent by mid-2010.

Construction of the Albany Health Campus was due to commence in early 2011. Completion is targeted for late 2012 and the facility is expected to be ready for operation as promised in 2013.

The private sector has already indicated strong interest in providing health services at the campus through a separate EOI process held last year.

The EOI invitation follows the State Government’s $3million commitment towards new sciences buildings, including a Rural Clinical School at the Albany campus of The University of Western Australia.

The New Albany Health Campus will be built while the existing Albany Hospital remains open, so the contractor will also be required to work with the State to ensure any disruptions are minimised.

Dr Hames said staff and the Albany Health Campus community reference group had been informed about the EOI process and would continue to be kept up-to-date.

The new facility would feature an improved and expanded range of services that include a larger emergency department, more mental health beds, expanded renal dialysis capability, expanded cancer services, a new surgical centre and new obstetric and birthing suites.

The Western Australia Government is committed to quality healthcare for all West Australians.

Adequately resourced and financed by sound State Government management.

Western Australia Minister for Regional Development Brendon Grylls

Western Australia Minister for Health Kim Hames

CT Scanner at Karratha

Victor P Taffa

Western Australia Minister for Regional Development Brendon Grylls and Minister for Health Kim Hames have jointly announced a boost for Health services in the Pilbara.

A new state-of-the-art computed tomography (CT) scanner installed at Nickol Bay Hospital is already benefiting patients in Karratha and the West Pilbara by reducing the need to travel to Port Hedland or Perth for scans.

Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls today officially launched the high calibre CT scanner at Nickol Bay Hospital. This announcement represents a $38.2 Million partnership between the State Government and major Pilbara industries to boost health services in the region.

Mr Grylls said the Pilbara Health Initiative was set up to fund urgently needed health services and equipment in the region, which had struggled to keep pace with population pressures and the needs of the growing community.

“This is part of the Government’s focus on providing improved services and facilities to people in the Pilbara,” he said.

“The new CT scanner can perform complex examinations and procedures and help with early diagnosis of many diseases, ensuring patients receive the right treatment more quickly.

“Up to 12 patients are being scanned at Nickol Bay Hospital. Historically, about four patients a day would be referred from Karratha to Port Hedland for a CT scan, so having this equipment available locally is already benefiting a lot of residents.”

Health Minister Dr Kim Hames said installation of the scanner had also required upgrades to be made to the hospital’s medical imaging department, creating a modern, contemporary facility for residents of the region.

“The new machine will mean fewer trauma patients will need to be transferred to Port Hedland for investigations and it will also help with diagnosis and follow-up screening of cancer patients,” Dr Hames said.

Under the partnership agreement, $32.96 Million of funding is being provided through the Royalties for Regions Pilbara Revitalisation Plan, with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy’s Pilbara Industry’s Community Council (PICC) Health Initiative members (BHP Billiton Iron Ore, Chevron Australia Pty Ltd, North West Shelf Joint Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside Energy) contributing $5.28 Million.

The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia chief executive Reg Howard-Smith said the CT scanner was just one of many initiatives continuing to provide enhanced health services in the region through the Pilbara Health Initiative.

“This is great news for Karratha and surrounding community residents, it brings exciting state-of-the-art technology to Nickol Bay Hospital that will benefit patients for years to come,” Mr Howard-Smith said.

The State Government has also provided $10 Million for a package of urgent upgrades to health services and staff accommodation at Nickol Bay Hospital, and a further $2.5 Million to hospitals throughout the Pilbara to replace clinical and imaging equipment and step up health services to Pilbara communities.

WA Minister for Health Kim Hames

Western Australia Deputy Premier Kim Hames

Department of Health Acting Director General appointed

Victor P Taffa

Western Australia Minister for Health Kim Hames today announced the appointment of Kim Snowball as Acting Director General of the Department of Health.

Mr Snowball will act in the position for six months from January 16.

Dr Hames said Mr Snowball was a highly experienced public servant and certified practising accountant, who had been chief executive of the WA Country Health Service which had an annual budget of $1billion a year.

“Mr Snowball has also worked at a national level, having developed a National Rural Health Framework for the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments,” he said.

“I am looking forward to working with Mr Snowball to continue the good work being done in the Department of Health, including the implementation of the Four Hour Rule, improving access to health care for indigenous people and the construction of Fiona Stanley Hospital.”

The Minister thanked current director general of Health, Dr Peter Flett, who will vacate the position on January 15, for his work over the past two years.

“Dr Flett initiated a series of reforms which has ensured our health system has provided world-class care to patients in Western Australia,” he said.

Dr Hames said the recruitment process for a director general would begin immediately and include an international search.

An independent selection process over several months would be conducted by the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards.

Health is a major issue for all Australians. The simplistic answer by many is to throw as much money at the problem and hope that it will solve the problems at hand.

A National takeover of health is not the answer as it simply makes health care less responsive to the community. Bureaucratic red tape simply becomes more complex and less representative of the real problems at hand. More money to health invariably ends up in bureaucratic hands and not in frontline services.

Many smaller community based hospitals will close as these facilities would not fit into the National view that ‘big is better.’

If a National takeover of health is such a good idea one only has to look at the way in which the Commonwealth run Northern Territory Government functions to realise that Territorians do not have a say in the way their Territory is run.

Clearly the health of all Indigenous Australians is as a result at risk.