Official opening of Swan District Hospital extensions

24/2/95

The State Government has further strengthened its commitment to providing high-quality local health services to the people of Swan.

At the official opening of the Swan District Hospital's $14.8 million extensions today, Health Minister Graham Kierath announced that a further $1 million would be spent over the next 12 months to upgrade existing hospital services.

The money would be spent on the hospital's emergency department, medical records area, main patient reception area and pharmacy department.

Mr Kierath said the Swan Health Service already incorporated a broad range of hospital, community, psychiatric and continuing care facilities.

It provided an excellent example of hospital and community-based services being integrated to offer continuity of care to patients.

These new developments represented a significant addition to the service, and would make a big difference to the health and well-being of the local community.

The hospital extensions opened by Mr Kierath today comprise:

·       a 24-bed restorative unit for care of the elderly - providing access to specialist geriatric care for the elderly within their own community, and enabling easier visiting access for families and carers;

·       a new theatre block - incorporating a day surgery ward and minor procedures room, as well as four large, well-equipped operating theatres to cater for future population needs;

·       outpatients' therapies area - including spacious and well-equipped physiotherapy, occupational therapy and podiatry areas, as well as a purpose-built audiology booth, which will offer people in the community access to important hearing services not previously available in the area; and -

·       improvements to the day hospital service - incorporating new, spacious activities and dining rooms, as well as treatment and rest areas for people coming to the hospital each weekday via voluntary transport.

Mr Kierath said the planned upgrading of the hospital's emergency department would significantly improve its capacity to deal with urgent medical cases.

"The emergency department staff currently see more than 15,000 patients per year, in a relatively small area with only four treatment bays," he said.

"The proposed redevelopment will double this capacity and reduce the need for patients to be transferred to other hospitals such as Royal Perth."

Tenders are expected to be called shortly.

Mr Kierath welcomed members of the Swan Health Service's recently elected board of management, saying they would play a vital role in ensuring the Swan Health Service provided a range of integrated services best suited to the community's needs.

Swan is one of the first metropolitan health services to have a board of management established to help improve community input into health service planning and delivery.

Media contact: Brian Coulter  222 9595 / 481 2133