The McGowan Labor Government will end the privatisation of services at Peel Health Campus and will deliver a $152 million major redevelopment of the hospital, putting Peel-Murray patients first.
Under the new arrangements, 890 Ramsay Health Care staff will have the opportunity to transition to the public sector, employed by the South Metropolitan Health Service, and retain their prior service, long service leave and paid parental leave entitlements.
From 2023, Peel Health Campus will be a State-run public hospital with co-use of facilities for a private hospital, on site, to ensure a range of health care options is available for the Peel-Murray region to choose from.
As part of the plan, a re-elected McGowan Labor Government will deliver the new $152 million redevelopment and expansion of Peel Health Campus, which is expected to include, pending the finalisation of the project definition plan:
- 63 additional inpatient beds (which will deliver 219 public beds);
- 12 chemotherapy places;
- 20 mental health inpatient beds;
- one additional operating theatre;
- at least 15 palliative care hospice beds;
- more outpatient services;
- new build of medical imaging services; and
- the introduction of a 10-bed Mental Health Emergency Centre.
The emergency department will be reconfigured, along with the reconfiguration and expansion of the day procedure unit.
Funding to plan and deliver the $152 million project has been provisioned along with a one-off $19.5 million allocation for transition costs in the 2020-21 Mid-year Review.
A program of work will be undertaken as quickly as possible for a request for proposal next year, to identify a preferred private partner to develop an integrated private hospital at the Peel Health Campus site offering residents in the region a choice of healthcare options.
The move to bring service delivery for public patients at Peel Health Campus into public hands, with an integrated private hospital for private patients, is not expected to have a material impact on the ongoing cost of service delivery.
The agreement honours the WA Labor election commitment to return privatised services into public hands, where possible and economically beneficial to do so.
As part of the significant investment, $2 million will be spent over the next 18 months developing the business case and on procurement planning for the expansion.
Peel Health Campus will continue to be managed by Ramsay Health Care under its service agreement with the South Metropolitan Health Service for the State Government, which expires on August 13, 2023.
The next steps will include the Department of Health submitting a business case, project definition plan and a tender prepared to find the preferred private partner for the site.
This new investment comes on top of the $10 million upgrades the McGowan Labor Government is already delivering at Peel Health Campus.
The works include a $5 million upgrade to the emergency department, comprising a new fast-track area to improve patient triage, new holding bays, a reconfiguration of the existing triage area, redesign of the emergency department waiting room and additional beds to the short-stay unit to streamline and improve patient flow.
Construction works recommenced in July following interruptions from the pandemic.
The initial Peel Health Care health service agreement was first executed in June 1997 and became operational on August 13, 1998. It was in place for an initial term of 20 years and in 2016 was extended with a variation to August 2023.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
“Peel-Murray locals will benefit from what will be the biggest upgrade of the Peel Health Campus in its history.
“Only under my Labor Government will the significant $152 million redevelopment and expansion be delivered, creating a pipeline of work through major upgrades.
“We are committed to delivering quality health care across our State, no matter where you live, ensuring patients and staff benefit from improved and enhanced facilities, which leads to better patient care and outcomes.
“Earlier this year we were able to bring back some Fiona Stanley Hospital services to public hands, and now we can put an end to privatised services at Peel Health Campus.
“We’ve sought to return public control of the privatised services, where it’s responsible to do so, and continue to put patients first, ensuring they have choice and access to health care close to home.
“The significant investment to redevelop and expand the hospital, and the plan to bring hospital services in-house, is only possible because of our efforts to get the Budget under control and our continued responsible financial management.”
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
“It’s time the Peel Health Campus received the significant revamp it deserves to ensure it can continue to meet the needs of the Peel-Murray patients.
“The previous Liberal National Government couldn’t do it and after eight and a half years of being in government, they vacated office leaving the Peel Health Campus dilapidated.
“We immediately invested in essential upgrades to the hospital and only under a re-elected McGowan Labor Government will this new $152 million redevelopment and expansion be delivered.
“I thank Ramsay Health Care for their work in delivering health services at Peel Health Campus.
“The State Government will continue to work with Ramsay Health Care at Peel Health Campus to ensure a smooth transition as the service comes back into public hands.”
