The State Government has launched a new Get the Bigger Picture Health website which, for the first time, gives West Australians one-stop access to information about health projects under way throughout the State.
It shows that regional Western Australia accounts for a significant slice of the $7billion investment in health infrastructure in the decade 2008-2018.
Health Minister Kim Hames said the new site - getthebiggerpicture.health.wa.gov.au - was the focus of a co-ordinated program to ensure West Australians understood how this investment would affect them and their local health care options.
"A significant focus for the Government is on building health capacity in regional WA, where more than quarter of the State's population live," Dr Hames said.
"The Government has a duty to ensure West Australians know how their money is being spent to build capacity in our health system for now - and for generations to come.
"Major upgrades have been completed, or are planned, at 24 regional and remote facilities, so I encourage people to go to the website and have a look at what's happening in their part of the State to bring healthcare closer to home."
Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said the Government's Royalties for Regions program had enabled many regional health projects and would continue to make a strong contribution to providing high-quality health care facilities for regional WA.
"Since 2008, we have seen two new regional health care campuses - in Hedland and Albany - open, the Busselton Health Campus is on track for opening late this year and work on the Karratha Health Campus is under way," Mr Redman said.
"The Southern Inland Health Initiative is transforming health care and includes major hospital upgrades and a significant investment in the Emergency Telehealth System (ETS).
"The ETS has treated more than in 4,500 people in regional WA in its first 18 months of operation and the further expansion of this initiative will help to provide sustainable, efficient emergency services in regional WA."
Fact File
Health Minister's office - 6552 5300
Regional Development Minister's office - 6552 6700
