15/8/02
Health Minister Bob Kucera has released plans for the first major redevelopment of the Rockingham Kwinana District Hospital since it opened in 1976.
Mr Kucera said unveiling the plans highlighted the tangible progress that had been made by the State Government to improve emergency services in Western Australia.
The hospital's entire emergency department will be completely rebuilt at a cost of $6.5million.
"The work being done at Rockingham comes as a direct result of the Dunne Report, which was commissioned when we came into office and was completed in July 2001," Mr Kucera said.
"The report identified a serious and growing gap in the evolving health needs of this community, which has been experiencing unprecedented population and urban growth."
The Minister said the Rockingham Kwinana catchment was one of the fastest-growing in the State.
Since the hospital's doors had first opened in 1976, it had experienced rapid change and growth.
"When the hospital was first built, the two main centres it serviced in Rockingham and Kwinana were still considered to be fairly modest fringe suburbs," Mr Kucera said.
"One was largely an industrial township, the other a popular haven for retirees and holidaymakers.
"In more recent years, unprecedented growth has seen these neighbouring districts turn into one of the most thriving residential regions on the south-western corridor."
The City of Rockingham now has 72,000 residents, sprawled across 261sq.km and the Town of Kwinana has about 21,000.
"As a result of the Dunne Report, we committed funds for redevelopment in its 2002 budget and have not stopped in keeping the project moving," Mr Kucera said.
The redevelopment plans include expansion of the emergency department to accommodate up to 45,000 people a year (it currently handles about 30,000), a Day Therapy Unit for rehabilitation services and installation of a state-of-the-art CT scanner, which will cost $1.5million to purchase and install.
"Together, these facilities will enable better and speedier diagnosis on site and help eliminate the need for transfers to other tertiary hospitals," the Minister said.
"This is particularly beneficial for patients rehabilitating from stroke, because at the moment many of them have to be sent to Fremantle to recover."
In the past 12 months, the Labor Government has also spent $600,000 on building new accommodation facilities in Rockingham for community and mental health services.
The hospital's redevelopment will be carried out in phases to allow existing services to continue as uninterrupted as possible.
The plans will be displayed for public viewing at the Warnbro Fair Shopping Centre and the Kwinana Hub.
Minister's office: 9213 7000
