- The Western Australian Government invests a further $1.28 billion into the health and mental health system in the 2021-2022 review
- Combined with the $1.9 billion investment from the State Budget, this has delivered a record $3.2 billion boost to West Australian’s health system
- This additional funding includes the recently announced $398 million to prepare WA to safely transition to living with COVID-19
- An additional 270 hospital beds will be purchased, including 40 new ICU beds
- Health Minister Roger Cook said part of WA plans to reopen the borders include getting the state’s healthcare system ready for when “we are living with COVID-19”
WA Premier Mark McGowan has invested a further $1.28 billion into the health and mental health system in the 2021-2022 review.
Combined with the $1.9 billion investment announced at the State Budget in September, this has delivered a record $3.2 billion boost to West Australia’s health system.
This additional funding includes the recently announced $398 million to prepare WA to safely transition to living with COVID-19, including an additional 270 hospital beds and associated staff.
The 270 beds include a mix of 120 modular beds and 150 other beds across a range of hospitals, as well as 40 new ICU beds.
Complementing these new beds will be an additional 1200 recently graduated nurses.
Notably, the mid-year review will also include an extra $256 million for additional COVID-19 activities and $240 million for hospital services.
Additionally, $17.6 million has also been assigned to a number of initiatives to free up existing hospital beds for long-stay patients, this includes the transportation of elderly patients at the end of their hospital stay to community-based settings and hospital-to-home transition service for patients awaiting National Disability Insurance Scheme services.
“Western Australia has led the world in responding to the pandemic in terms of both health and economic outcomes,” Mr McGowan said.
“As the State prepares to safely transition, we are putting in place additional support to prepare the health system and bolster our responses to COVID-19, including vaccination and contact tracing.
“This investment brings the spending announced this year up to $3.2 billion for health and mental health – the highest increase on record.”
Health Minister Roger Cook said part of WA plans to reopen the borders include getting the state’s healthcare system ready for when “we are living with COVID-19”.
“This additional funding is about ensuring there is capacity in the health system to both respond to the pandemic and deliver health services to Western Australians,” Mr Cook said.
“The funding provides for the ongoing roll-out of more hospital beds and staff; as well as a range of equipment, infrastructure upgrades and resources.”
“These improvements we are making to the health system are equivalent to bringing online a new hospital – with an additional 530 beds being delivered around the State.”