New children's hospital opens doors to staff

• Familiarisation underway for PMH staff and volunteers ahead of opening

• Hands-on tours yield positive feedback on design and functionality 

Preparations are well advanced for the opening later this year of one of Western Australia's most complex and exciting building projects, the $1.2 billion, 298-bed Perth Children's Hospital (PCH).

More than 700 staff and volunteers from Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) have visited their new workplace in Nedlands over the past four weeks as the 120,000 square metre construction site transitions into WA's new sole tertiary paediatric hospital.

Joining a tour today, Health Minister John Day said they were being conducted six times a day by more than 20 specially selected PMH staff and would continue until April 15, 2016.

"While these staff tours are enjoyable and interesting for all participants, they will play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth transition of services to the hospital in the latter half of the year," Mr Day said.

"The PCH Project and PMH staff will have many more opportunities to access the site prior to building completion and the start of the extremely complex operational commissioning period."

In coming weeks, more than 2,000 PCH staff will participate in the familiarisation tours, which include the emergency department, patient wards, outpatient clinics, the main atrium, the Day Treatment Unit, Allied Health Clinic, staff areas and indoor and outdoor play spaces.

"The operational commissioning and services transition to the new hospital includes plans for a staged opening of facilities, however the majority of patient services are expected to be relocated in a single day," the Minister said.

"PMH will remain open as the State's only dedicated paediatric hospital and major trauma centre until the new hospital opens its doors later this year."

Executive Director of PMH and PCH clinical commissioning, Dr Gervase Chaney, joined Mr Day and said this was an exciting phase for all staff transferring to PCH.

The Minister said while PMH staff were consulted as part of the design process, many were visiting the hospital for the first time.

"Staff feedback on the hospital design and functionality has been overwhelmingly positive," he said.

"More training and orientation sessions will start when construction is complete."

Fact File

• PCH will be the only dedicated tertiary paediatric hospital in WA

• More than 2,000 staff will tour the hospital prior to completion

• Staff visit four floors and a range of clinical and non-clinical areas 

Minister's office - 6552 6200