Major new emergency department upgrade for Armadale Hospital adds to extensive investment in hospitals

  • More than $900,000 being spent to upgrade Armadale Hospital emergency department
  • Contract awarded to Aboriginal-owned Marawar Building Services
  • Project highlights the McGowan Government’s extensive program of upgrading hospital emergency departments
  • After a competitive tender process, Marawar Building Services – which boasts more than 50 per cent of staff being Aboriginal – has been awarded a contract to reconfigure and upgrade the emergency department of Armadale Hospital, part of the East Metropolitan Health Service.

    Last financial year, more than 60,000 people attended the Armadale Hospital emergency department (ED), which services Perth’s south-eastern suburbs.

    The ED reconfiguration has been designed to improve the patient experience through the development of a dedicated paediatric patient treatment area and waiting room, an enhanced low stimulus area for mental health patients, the establishment of a short stay unit for those patients who need to stay within the ED overnight and a dedicated ambulatory assessment area.

    In addition, to ensure appropriate safety measures and enhanced capability to deal with COVID-19 patients, a dedicated respiratory assessment area will also be developed.

    The preliminary work is expected to start this month and the project is anticipated to conclude in mid-2021.

    When completed, the ED is expected to improve the patient experience, provide clear patient flow pathways and decrease the time people need to wait to see medical staff.  

    This is the latest in a series of hospital ED upgrades announced by the McGowan Government.

    They include:

    • $19 million upgrade at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital emergency department. This includes a Behavioural Assessment Unit and relocation of the EDFastTrack area to ensure these patients can be seen without entering the main ED department;
    • the $257 million Joondalup Health Campus project which includes 12 new emergency department bays and a new 77-bed mental health building;
    • $5 million in upgrades for the Peel Health Campus emergency department which is expected to be completed early next year. It follows last week’s $152 million announcement for a major expansion to bring the hospital back into public hands;
    • $1.4 million investment at Royal Perth Hospital in infrastructure works to improve patient flow and deliver a better patient experience. This work will start early next year and is expected to be finished in mid-2021. ED works completed this year include converting six critical care bays into single rooms and constructing two single rooms within the Quick Assessment and Care area;
    • an expanded emergency department at Geraldton Health Campus as part of a $73 million program of works; and
    • detailed design and planning for a $6 million Mental Health Emergency Centre at St John of God Midland Public Hospital is currently underway.

    As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:

    “The McGowan Government is committed to ensuring all sections of the community have access to high-quality healthcare.

    “We are investing heavily in our hospitals, both in the city and in the regions.

    “It is vital that all Western Australians can access medical care in a timely manner.

    “The Armadale Hospital ED reconfiguration will help with patient flow and getting people care quickly as possible.

    “The development of a dedicated paediatric patient treatment area will make a real difference to families presenting to Armadale Hospital, and enable children to be treated in a purpose-built area, separate to the adults.

    “These upgrades will further support the wonderful team at Armadale Hospital to improve the patient experience.”

    /Public Release. View in full here.