New $3million burns rehabilitation centre announced

8/12/03
Health Minister Jim McGinty today announced plans for a $3million world-class burns reconstruction and rehabilitation centre at Royal Perth Hospital.
Mr McGinty paid tribute to Telstra CEO Ziggy Switkowski for the personal interest he had taken in supporting the establishment of the new centre, towards which Telstra was contributing $1million.
The Telstra Centre for Burns Reconstruction and Rehabilitation - the first dedicated centre of its kind in Australia - will be led by 2004 Western Australian of the Year Dr Fiona Wood.
Mr McGinty said the new centre would reinforce Western Australia's position as a world leader in burns management.
Most importantly, it would dramatically reduce the waitlist for reconstructive surgery and the rehabilitation time for burns patients.
"It is important for burns management to start as soon as possible to achieve optimal recovery and prevent complications, such as restrictions in movement," the Minister said.
"The Government recognises this - that is why we have made establishing the new burns centre and the reduction of burns reconstructive surgery waiting lists a top priority.
"There are currently 70 burns patients awaiting burns reconstructive surgery - which ranges from minor cosmetic cases to improve the look of a scar to more complicated reconstructive procedures.
"The new centre has the potential to complete 177 surgical procedures a year, so the reduction in the surgery waitlist will be significant.
"It will also greatly reduce patients' rehabilitation time - in some cases, by years - thereby improving their healing outcomes and quality of life during rehabilitation."
Mr McGinty said it was forecast that the number of patients requiring burns treatment would increase in coming years, with admissions to the Royal Perth Hospital Burns Unit rising by 10 per cent over the last eight years.
"The centre will provide a multidisciplinary approach that will address patients' needs on every level - physically, mentally and emotionally - throughout this process," he said.
"It will combine the practical components of surgery, medical and nursing care, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work and psychology, in the one location."
Facilities at the centre will include:

• a day theatre and adjoining recovery areas;
• a dressing clinic;
• a surgical review clinic (where patients will be assessed by clinical staff who review their surgery and plan further surgery);
• two multi-disciplinary post-surgery outcome clinics (where patients will have their progress reviewed by a range of health professionals); and
• a rehabilitation gym and seminar and training facilities.

Mr McGinty said it was appropriate that Dr Wood had been chosen to head the new centre.
"Dr Wood has more than 20 year's experience specialising in burns, wound healing and tissue regeneration," he said.
"She attracted worldwide attention for leading the Royal Perth Burns Unit team which did such an outstanding job treating people who were severely burned in the Bali bombings."
Mr McGinty said the new centre would initially be named the Telstra Centre for Burns Reconstruction and Rehabilitation, in recognition of the telecommunication giant's $1million contribution.
The Minister commended Dr Switkowski for the personal interest he had taken in working with the Royal Perth Hospital Burns Unit and the State Government to establish the new burns centre.
Minister's office: 9220 5000