Free vaccinations, more hospital beds and a focus on patient flow and strengthening the workforce are all part of the state government’s plan to bolster hospitals this winter.
The Winter Strategy 2026 has been designed to boost health system resilience and support patients during the months with the highest demand on services.
It comes after the state endured one of its worst winters last year, with record flu cases and emergency department pressure building to a point elective surgeries were postponed to accommodate demand.
There were almost 1.2 million emergency department visits and more than 700,000 public hospital admissions.
The AMA (WA) labelled it a crisis and called for urgent action to prevent the same scenarios this coming winter. The RACGP pushed for a greater role for primary care to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.
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The state government has promised a $14 million investment into free immunisation programs for the flu and RSV, with the needle-free FluMist spray offered for children aged two to 11.
RSV vaccines will for the first time be offered to people aged 65 and over in residential care homes from mid-May.
WA reported 12,804 RSV cases in 2025, with around one third occurring in people over 65 – many requiring hospital admission.
The Department of Health estimates 15,000 aged care residents will be vaccinated this year.
Some 200 more hospital beds will also be available as part of the $140 million strategy.
The acquisition of St John of God Mount Lawley Hospital will be complete by 31 August 2026. Prior to the transition, more beds at the hospital will be made available for public use during winter.
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The strategy will also include a focus on educating the public on where to seek health advice in a bid to keep people out of emergency departments, this includes sending them to GPs or community services.
Further investment will be put towards the Time to Think program which offers short term care in aged care facilities to support older people leaving hospital.
Health Minister Meredith Hammat said: “Our Winter Strategy is about ensuring our health system works at its best so Western Australians have access to the healthcare they need, during the period of highest demand.”
AMA (WA) President Dr Kyle Hoath said it was disappointing it had taken so long to acknowledge a change was needed after last year’s crisis, but welcomed the strategy ahead of this winter.
“We lacked a plan last year, so at the very least having a plan will mean we have a better winter.
“Our hospital services are still pretty full now even though we are in summer. One of the things that didn’t really slow down when winter ended was the number of people waiting for aged care beds – that’s something that’s been ongoing.
“Hopefully the Time to Think beds do help, but that’s probably going to be where the big opportunity remains in terms of how we survive winter.”
Dr Hoath said the public hospital system was still more than 1000 beds shy of what is needed to adequately serve the population. He once again called for greater investment in the state’s healthcare services.
Preventative Health Minister Sabine Winton said access to vaccinations would be expanded by allowing pharmacists to immunise children from two years old, and by supporting GPs and other health providers with grants to deliver more vaccinations.
The RACGP welcomed decision to expand vaccine access and continued funding of free influenza vaccines for people aged 12-64 who are not eligible under the National Immunisation Program.
RACGP WA Chair Dr Ramya Raman said it would help protect communities and prevent avoidable hospitalisations.
“Winter places enormous strain on our health system, and these proactive measures will make a meaningful difference,” she said.
“This program has proven benefits. Removing cost barriers helps ensure more people are protected, particularly working families and younger adults who may otherwise delay vaccination. It’s a smart, equitable investment in public health.
“GPs and practice nurses know their patients, understand their medical history, and are best placed to provide safe, holistic vaccine advice. These programs will only reach their full potential with strong support for general practice and recognition of the essential role we play.”
The RACGP has also called on the state government to fund free meningococcal B vaccine for children under two and teens aged 15-19.
Unlike the MenACWY vaccine that protects against the meningococcal A, C, W, and Y strains, the MenB vaccine for coverage against the B strain is not funded under the National Immunisation Program and costs most patients around $140.
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