More hospital beds and nurses to ease waiting times at Rockingham Hospital

30/7/03
A total of 10 extra hospital beds have been opened at Rockingham-Kwinana District Hospital to help ease the growth in demand over winter.
Health Minister Jim McGinty said the extra beds would allow more patients to be treated locally instead of being sent to Fremantle.
He said the Government's success at recruiting some 700 extra nurses across the public health system had enabled the hospital to open the extra beds.
"Since 2001, 235 extra nurses had been allocated to hospitals in the South Metropolitan area (Rockingham, Armadale and Fremantle), providing valuable support for the extra beds," he said.
The cost of opening the 10 beds was about $200,000 and would be met by re-prioritising funding within the health budget.
"Providing more beds during the winter demand is one strategy being used to improve the care of patients at emergency departments," Mr McGinty said.
"All Western Australians are entitled to quality health care when they need it."
Minister's office: 9220 5000