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Jim McGinty


Tue 19 December, 2006

Economic boom delivers extra funding for Fiona Stanley Hospital

Portfolio: Health

19/12/06

The State Government will commit an additional $350million to increase the services at the new Fiona Stanley Hospital and cover unprecedented escalation costs in the building industry.

Health Minister Jim McGinty said the extra funding would ensure the construction of a bigger and better hospital to meet the increasing demands of a rapidly growing population south of the river.

Mr McGinty said the additional funds would allow for the construction of an extra 10,000sq.m of floor space resulting in a far superior hospital.

The additional funding would also be used to:
  • increase the proportion of single rooms from 30 per cent to 50 per cent of the total beds;
  • increase the number of Intensive Care and High Dependency Unit beds from 40 to 60;
  • improve facilities for pathology, theatres, bio-medical engineering and cell tissue manufacturing;
  • construct an additional 700 bays in a multi-storey car park, bringing the total multi-storey parking provided at the site to 1,300 spaces; and
  • provide better site infrastructure and access roads within the hospital grounds.
The additional money would increase total capital funding for the hospital from $742million to almost $1.1billion.

The Minister said the State Government’s latest funding commitment would also cover the unprecedented cost increases in the construction industry.

“These escalation rates have been running in excess of 10 per cent per annum in recent years,” he said.

“Anyone who is building a house, let alone a major hospital, will appreciate the effects and pressures of changes in the construction industry and the very heated market of recent time.”

Mr McGinty said the 643-bed hospital would be the State’s flagship health facility and provide first-rate health care for people in the southern suburbs.

“More than $100million has been allocated to ensure the Fiona Stanley Hospital is fitted with the latest furniture, fittings and medical equipment,” he said.

“This will ensure that the latest imaging equipment is included in a state-of-the-art medical imaging centre that will provide fast and accurate information to clinicians.”

The Fiona Stanley Hospital will offer the State’s first comprehensive cancer services south of the river including radiotherapy treatment facilities, medical oncology and haematology.

The hospital’s emergency department will also become Western Australia’s major trauma and burns centre and cater for patients with the most serious emergency conditions.

The hospital is being developed as part of a mixed-use precinct on the new southern suburbs rail line at Murdoch, alongside the private St John of God Hospital, Murdoch University and Challenger TAFE.

The framework will also see the development of a state-of-the-art medical research facility to be built in conjunction with universities and the WA Institute of Medical Research.

Construction of the Fiona Stanley Hospital is due to start in late 2008 and is scheduled for completion in 2012.

Minister's office - 9422 3000



Page last revised:25 Mar 2008