Work under way on Carnarvon Hospital upgrade

28/6/07
Work has begun on the $2.9million redevelopment of Carnarvon Hospital, which will provide local people with a dedicated maternity area and better palliative care services.
Health Minister Jim McGinty said the first stage of construction would radically improve the layout of the 30-year-old hospital, resulting in streamlined practices and a better environment for patients and staff.
"The redeveloped hospital will provide improved services for more than 8,800 people living in the Carnarvon, Exmouth, Shark Bay and Upper Gascoyne areas," Mr McGinty said.
"This stage of redevelopment will improve safety and efficiency by creating a dedicated maternity area within the general ward, including a new birthing suite and four single maternity rooms with ensuites.
"Up until now the maternity area has been in a separate part of the hospital that was about 50 years old.
"The renovations mean that emergency intervention, if needed during birthing, will be readily and immediately available."
The Minister said integrating the maternity area into the general ward was in line with contemporary standards of ward design and would allow nursing staff to provide co-ordinated care from one area.
A new lounge and outdoor area for maternity patients would ensure family and friends could enjoy the baby's birth in comfortable surroundings.
Stage one of the redevelopment would also see improvements made to the palliative care unit.
"The two palliative care rooms will be refurbished to include ensuites and private outdoor areas, and there will be space provided for family members to stay overnight. These are all new features of the unit." Mr McGinty said.
"Hospital offices and the nurses' station will be remodelled to create a better working environment for hospital staff, and other upgrades include improvements to the hospital's fire safety and cyclone compliance measures."
North West Coastal MLA Fred Riebeling welcomed the start of construction and said the redeveloped hospital would service Carnarvon and surrounding areas for years to come.
"The population of the Gascoyne is rapidly growing and this upgrade will ensure that the hospital's services and capabilities will continue to expand with the demand," Mr Riebeling said.
WA Country Health Service's Mid-West regional director Shane Matthews said stage one was due to be completed in December, while planning had already begun for the $6million second stage of redevelopment to begin in 2011.
"I would like to assure the local community that the hospital's existing services will continue to operate uninterrupted during both stages of construction," Mr Matthews said.
Carnarvon Hospital is one of many country hospitals across Western Australia undergoing significant capital works.
"We are investing $600million in capital improvements to country health services over the next six years," Mr McGinty said.
"It is the biggest investment in health care in this State's history and is part of our commitment to provide all Western Australians with quality health services closer to where they live."
Minister's office - 9422 3000