State Budget 2010-11: Nickol Bay Hospital to be rebuilt

The ageing Nickol Bay Hospital in Karratha will be rebuilt under the Liberal-National Government's Royalties for Regions investment in the 2010-11 State Budget.  Royalties for Regions is funded by the equivalent of 25 per cent of Western Australia's mining and onshore petroleum royalty revenue.

The new $150million hospital will cater for the growing population in WA's north-west, and comes on top of the State Government's $10million election promise to upgrade services at the current hospital.

"Labor failed to plan for the future and that was painfully clear in Karratha, where the Nickol Bay hospital was ignored," Health Minister Kim Hames said.

"This new hospital will return the benefits of the mining industry to West Australians who are living and working in the State's north-west."

Construction on the new hospital is expected to start in 2011-12 and be completed in 2014-15.  The funding is spread over five years.

The funding makes up part of a $272million Royalties for Regions health package in the 2010-11 Budget.

Additional funding for this Budget includes:

·           $8.1million to refurbish the Exmouth health clinic by 2012-13 to better cater for dental, mental health, pathology, occupational health, community health and PathWest

·           $20.8million for an upgrade of Carnarvon hospital for mental, allied and community health; a new dental facility; redevelopment to day surgery and pathology renovations

·           $18.8million to support the $31million upgrade of Esperance Hospital, due to start in 2010-11.  The hospital will have substantially improved emergency; maternity; obstetrics and medical imaging services.  It will also provide a 'one-stop shop' for ambulatory care, community and allied health services which will have strong links with local GP services

·           $22million to upgrade remote indigenous health infrastructure over three years.

"Royalties for Regions gives regional communities much-needed resources for infrastructure and services, and puts the decisions about where those resources are to be used where they are best made - with the regional community," Dr Hames said.

WA Budget statements are available at http://www.ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au/