Both WA Labor and the WA Liberals have pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars on significant healthcare upgrades in an effort to reduce emergency department pressure.
Both WA Labor and the Liberal Party WA have pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars on significant healthcare upgrades in an effort to reduce emergency department pressure.
Royal Perth Hospital would be set for a $97.3 million upgrade focused on modernising its emergency department should WA Labor return to power following the vote on March 8.
The party promised it would redevelop and expand the hospital’s ED with 50 new treatment bays, a new CT scanner area and extra ambulance triage bays, among other upgrades.
Under WA Labor’s plan, another $7 million would be used on drafting a plan for other works on the wider hospital site for the future taking the total commitment to $104 million.
“This $104 million investment will reduce waiting times, streamline services and ensure every patient has access to high quality healthcare at RPH for decades to come,” party leader Roger Cook said.
Meanwhile, the WA Liberals announced it would pour $73.2 million into expanding the St John WA urgent care model by building three new units.
The party said it would purchase 60,000 episodes of care at a cost of $18 million.
Under the WA Liberals plan, the party would move to redirect low-priority cases for treatment at the urgent care clinics to ease pressure on the public hospitals.
WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam said the initiative would instantly reduce ambulance ramping and emergency department presentations at public hospitals.
“This will put patients in the most appropriate place for their treatment and streamline the path to care for all patients,” she said.
“St Johns urgent care clinics are specifically designed and equipped to provide immediate treatment for injuries and illnesses such as fractures, sprains, and minor infections and other lower-acuity cases that do not require the resources of a full emergency department.”
Ambulance ramping has been a key sticking point for Ms Mettam, with the latest Productivity Commission report outlining wait times are a persistent issue in WA.
