$14 million funding increase to the Joondalup Health Campus

21/9/99
Medical services for people living in Perth's fast growing northern suburbs will be significantly boosted following a $14 million funding increase to the Joondalup Health Campus, Health Minister John Day said today.
Mr Day said the Joondalup Health Campus would now receive a total of $52.7 million in State Government funding this financial year compared to $38.7 million last year.
He said the $14 million increase over the previous 12 month period indicated that the health service was now operating at the appropriate level for the high population growth in the region.
"The increased funding will provide for a 17 per cent increase in the number of medical and surgical inpatient procedures, a 34 per cent increase in the number of bed days available for mental health inpatients and a two per cent increase in the number of people attending the emergency department," Mr Day said.
"This brings Joondalup Hospital's emergency department in line with the same number of patients being treated at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital."
Mr Day said the additional funding not only meant that more patients would be seen at Joondalup Health Campus, but that more services would be offered.
"These services, which will mean patients will no longer have to travel to the centre of Perth for treatment, include a higher level Intensive Care Coronary Unit to back up the hospital's emergency department," he said.
"The achievements that are being made at the Joondalup Health Campus highlight the State Government's commitment to providing high quality medical services closer to where people live."
Mr Day said patients requiring specialist aged care facilities could also receive treatment at the Joondalup Health Campus with the establishment of:

• a continence clinic;
• an osteoporosis falls and fracture clinic; and -
• a comprehensive geriatric medical assessment clinic.

"The establishment of these three clinics highlight the commitment by the Joondalup Health Campuses to ensuring patients requiring aged care services are seen locally, wherever possible," Mr Day said.
Local Members Chris Baker and Iain Maclean welcomed the funding increase saying that it would enable more people to be treated within their local community.
Mr Day said that while the number of patients being seen at Joondalup Health Campus had been increasing he was pleased that the quality of service continued to be at a high level.
"Recently, Joondalup Health Campus attained full accreditation under the Australian Health Care Standards," he said.
"It is pleasing that we are now starting to see the true benefits of the redevelopment of the Joondalup Health Campus flowing through to the community which will complement the services provided across the greater metropolitan area by the Metropolitan Health Service."
Media contact: Mark Thompson on 9213 6600