St John of God Midland Public Hospital could see a $200 million revamp if Federal Labor is re-elected in May.
The potential funding was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on a visit to Perth earlier this week. It would provide more beds and a new emergency department.
Together with a further $50 million in additional funding from the WA Government that comes on top of $105 million already promised during the WA election campaign, the hospital could see $355 million invested into it.
Labor said the project would expand the availability of free, public health care and reduce ambulance ramping to meet the needs of patients in Perth’s growing eastern suburbs and the Wheatbelt.
Mr Albanese said: “This means more free trips to the doctor, cheaper medicines and more Urgent Care Clinics – where all you need is your Medicare card not your credit card.”
WA Premier Roger Cook said the redevelopment would increase the size of St John of God Midland Public Hospital’s intensive care unit by 50%.
AMA(WA) President Dr Michael Page – who has consistently stated WA is facing a crisis of hospital capacity due to a shortage of beds and a need for more locally trained doctors – told Medical Forum the redevelopment would be welcomed by those in the eastern suburbs of Perth.
As highlighted recently by Medical Forum, certain services provided at the hospital are limited, including the provision of bulk billed radiation therapy for which cancer patients based in the Midland area forced to travel to other parts of the city to access.
RELATED: Midland patients face long journeys for radiation therapy
Dr Page said while the election promise recognised the shortage of beds in the system, it is more of a partial catch up than a comprehensive plan for solving the capacity crisis.
Liberal leader Peter Dutton is yet to visit Perth since the official election campaign period began on 28 March.
So far in the lead up to the election we’ve seen each major party match health promises like-for-like.
Dr Page said he hoped the Liberal party would do more than just match Labor’s commitment to St John of God Midland Public Hospital.
“I hope the Liberals go one better and provide a commitment to supporting serious hospital inpatient and outpatient capacity across the country,” he said.
Another broader commitment to health that has already come out of the Federal Election campaign, is around the cost of medicines.
The Liberals have said they would match a policy put forward by the Labor party to lower the cost to the pubic of prescription medications covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Most prescription medicines would cost no more than $25 under the plan to be introduced in 2026.
This is a reduction from the current maximum cost for most PBS medicines which is $31.60.
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