The WA Government has announced the end of privatised services at Peel Health Campus, as well as a $152 million major upgrade to the hospital.
Key points:
- The health campus is set to return to public hands in 2023
- An upgrade of the facility will include an extra 63 hospital beds
- It will also include much-needed mental health care facilities
From 2023, the facility will be brought back into public hands as a state-run hospital, although there will be a tender for an adjoining private hospital at the site.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said the transition would ensure a range of healthcare options were available for people in the Peel-Murray region.
“This a rapidly growing region with lots of people moving here, so we need to make sure the hospital itself can cater for the growing population,” he said.
Under the new arrangements, Ramsay Health Care employees would have the opportunity to transition to the public sector and keep their long-service leave and paid parental leave entitlements.
Mr McGowan said the agreement honoured Labor’s election commitment to return privatised services to public control.
“We’ve been working on this project for years,” he said.
“Earlier this year we were able to bring back some Fiona Stanley Hospital services to public hands, and now we can put an end to privatised services at Peel Health Campus.
“We’ve sought to return public control of the privatised services where it’s responsible and economically beneficial to do so, and continue to put patients first, ensuring they have choice and access to health care close to home.”
The upgrade at a glance
- 63 additional beds
- 12 chemotherapy places
- 20 mental health in-patient beds
- 15 palliative care hospice beds
- 10-bed mental health emergency centre
- 1 additional operating theatre
The hospital will continue to be managed by Ramsay Health Care under its service agreement with the South Metropolitan Health Service for the State Government until it expires on August 13, 2023.
Hospital left dilapidated, says Health Minister
Want more WA news?
Did you know we offer a local version of the ABC News homepage? Watch below to see how you can set yours, and get more WA stories.
(Hint: You’ll have to go back to the home page to do this)
WA Health Minister Roger Cook said the facility’s redevelopment and expansion were well deserved and would make the campus a “true regional hospital”.
“It’s time the Peel Health Campus received the significant revamp it deserves to ensure it can continue to meet the needs of the Peel-Murray patients,” he said.
“It represents the end of privatised health services, but a beginning for a new reinvented, re-envisioned hospital.
“The previous Liberal National government couldn’t do it and after eight-and-a-half years of being in government, they vacated office leaving the Peel Health Campus dilapidated.”
The upgrades will also include medical imaging services and the introduction of a 10-bed mental health emergency centre.
The Government said the new investment built on the $10 million infrastructure upgrades already funded and underway at the facility.
Those works include a $5 million upgrade to the emergency department, comprising a new fast-track area to improve patient triage, new holding bays, redesign of the emergency waiting room and additional beds to the short-stay unit to improve patient flow.
Construction on the upgrades recommenced in July following delays prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
No sign of eating disorder clinic
Mr Cook conceded the announcement did not include news of a long-awaited eating disorder service for the Peel area.
“We’re still in negotiations with the Commonwealth with regards to the great commitment to the eating disorder service … although you would anticipate that any disorders would be part of the reinvented health services here at the health campus,” he said.
“The Commonwealth are very clear that they want to see that operating down here in the Peel and we are continuing to work with them in regards to that funding arrangement.”
