Premier Mark McGowan and Health Minister Roger Cook today announced $22.7 million, as part of the 2019-20 State Budget, will go towards significant upgrades to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Western Australia’s oldest public hospital, Royal Perth Hospital (RPH).
The 24-bed ICU at RPH has the largest trauma workload in WA, providing care for the most acutely ill patients who have been referred from across the State.
This significant funding boost will enable major refurbishments and upgrades to the RPH ICU to be carried out for the first time in over 30 years. Built in 1988, the RPH ICU has not been refurbished since, with the exception of the addition of four isolation rooms some time later.
The ICU refurbishment includes:
- Bigger patient areas, and increased natural light with windows in every patient area;
- Reconfiguring the space to provide more single patient rooms;
- Creating a dedicated area for distressed relatives, to provide a safe space for families and loved ones of ICU patients to meet separately from other hospital patient families;
- More adequate storage and drug preparation areas;
- The inclusion of a simulation room to improve staff training capability;
- Implementing a modern ICT system which will aid staff workflow and productivity; and
- Upgrades to flooring and walls.
These upgrades will improve the patient experience and patient outcomes, and will ensure the hospital is able to continue delivering high quality health care to the community.
During 2017, nearly 1,500 people were admitted to the ICU staying on average for 13 days.
This funding injection further highlights the McGowan Government’s commitment to putting patients first and is in addition to the $11.8 million investment to implement the Mental Health Emergency Centre, which is a centrepiece to the broader Royal Perth Hospital redevelopment plans and is expected to be operational by the end of the year.
This also follows the opening of the specialised urgent care clinic in May last year, which together with the Mental Health Emergency Centre, delivers on election commitments to improve treatment of mental health and drug and alcohol affected patients, and improve emergency department waiting times.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
“ICU is not a place you would ever imagine yourself being in, so it’s important to know there are highly trained professionals and staff within ICU with specialist skills providing complex life support to help those who come across this major trauma or heartbreaking experience.
“Being the oldest State hospital, the RPH ICU is long overdue an upgrade so I’m pleased this funding injection is going towards significant infrastructure improvements to help make the patient and their family’s experience better.
“My Government’s focus in providing quality health care is that we continue to put patients first, no matter where they live.”
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
“Royal Perth Hospital has long been known for the provision of high-quality care to the community, this $22.7 million funding boost from the McGowan Government will ensure it continues its world-class status.
“By investing in upgrades to the RPH Intensive Care Unit we can introduce new technology that will continue to provide the best possible care to those who need it most.
“With the ICU, we are talking about patients who are critically ill. We owe it to them, their families and friends, and the staff within RPH, to give them the best possible chance of getting better – something this funding achieves.”
