The $317million expansion of Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) is now under way after Health Minister Kim Hames and Ramsay Health Care chairman Paul Ramsay performed the ceremonial turning of the sod today.
The State Government is investing $227.4million to expand public hospital services at Joondalup, while Ramsay Health Care is spending a further $90million to increase facilities for private hospital patients.
Dr Hames said the expansion program would transform hospital services for the residents of Perth’s northern suburbs.
“We are investing almost $230million to significantly expand public hospital services at Joondalup,” he said.
“This investment will enable many more people from this fast-growing part of Perth to receive care at their local hospital instead of having to travel into the city.
“The expanded hospital will be almost twice the size of the existing facility.
“By 2013, it will have 451 public beds compared with 280 at present.
“The new Emergency Department, which is the State’s busiest, will be 2.5 times the size of the existing department and include new state-of-the-art operating theatres.
“Ramsay Health Care delivers care to public patients at JHC under a long-standing and successful agreement with the Department of Health. I am very pleased to see this partnership continuing.”
JHC chief executive officer Kempton Cowan said he was delighted the redevelopment had started as it was a project that had been years in the making and would be of enormous benefit to the local community.
“This will be a huge boost for the staff and patients of the campus and for all the people living in Perth’s northern corridor,” Mr Cowan said.
“The upgrade of JHC is vital to ensure the healthcare needs of our local community are met well into the future.”
Staged construction work will enable the existing hospital to continue to operate normally during this period and a comprehensive plan will be implemented to ensure disruption to patients is kept to a minimum.
“The care and comfort of patients is our primary concern,” Mr Cowan said.
During the coming months, building activity will increase significantly with a number of projects running concurrently, including the construction of the new public ward block, Emergency Department, car park and central energy building.
Key stages of the redevelopment:
· 61 per cent increase in bed numbers for public patients - 280 to 451 beds by 2013
· a new private hospital
· a new state-of-the-art Emergency Department, which will be almost 2.5 times the size of the existing department, scheduled for completion in April 2011
· 11 new operating theatres, replacing the existing six
· by 2013, the expanded JHC will have a combined total of 536 public and private beds making it one of the biggest hospitals in Western Australia
· an additional 20-bed dialysis service will also be established in the vicinity.
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