Upgrade doubles capacity of Armadale Kelmscott Memorial Hospital ED

A $9.4million upgrade of the emergency department at Armadale Kelmscott Memorial Hospital (AKMH) was officially opened today by Health Minister Dr Kim Hames.

Dr Hames said the upgrade would substantially increase the hospital's capacity and improve the facilities available to local residents.  It would also relieve pressure on other metropolitan emergency departments.

"AKMH's emergency department has seen a 90 per cent increase in patients over the past eight years, from 23,000 patients in 2000, to 44,000 in 2008," he said.

"The upgraded facilities will mean the emergency department can treat up to 60,000 patients each year; double the number of beds available and allow staff to work in a larger, modernised facility with top quality equipment."

The upgrade includes redeveloped areas for resuscitation, trauma, acute treatment, paediatrics, improved areas for the assessment and treatment of mental health patients and the assessment of drug and alcohol-affected patients.

Other bays enable the fast tracking of patients with minor illnesses or injuries, or to keep them for a short stay assessment.

Hospital staff have worked in a temporary emergency department since the upgrade began in December 2007 to allow work to take place on the existing site.

"The staff should be commended that, despite the inconvenience, not one day of service for emergency patients has been lost," the Minister said.

"Doctors, nurses, allied health and support staff will continue to work together to ensure a smooth transfer back to the upgraded site."

Dr Hames said AKMH's upgrade to General Hospital status, from a Secondary Hospital status, was also a significant milestone.

"As a result of hard work over recent years, AKMH has been developed into a bigger, more complex hospital offering a greater range of services to the community," he said.

"It is expected that further planned upgrades will continue to expand the services available to patients in the future."

AKMH executive director Russell McKenney said the new facility would ensure additional patients could be treated more efficiently and rapidly, and reduce waiting times for treatment with fewer patient transfers to tertiary hospitals.

"The new emergency department will complement the setting up of a new Clinical Academic Unit at AKMH now that the hospital has a significant role in the training of medical students," Mr McKenney said.

"This will enable us to increase the training of additional medical students from The University of Western Australia and Notre Dame University over the next few years. We hope that by expanding our academic training we will influence the students to return to AKMH when they graduate."

The redeveloped emergency department will begin treating patients from 7am February 11, 2009, allowing two weeks for fine-tuning equipment and computer systems, and to transfer staff from the current temporary facilities.

Interested members of the community are invited to inspect the new facility on Saturday, January 31 from 1 to 3pm, before it opens for patients.