WA Country Health Service responds to Opposition’s claims of regional health project failures

Rising costs associated with COVID have been blamed on claims the State Government has not delivered on 97 regional health projects including those for Bridgetown, Pemberton, Donnybrook and Northcliffe. In a statement the WA Country Health Service said “market conditions have changed” since the projects were promised four years ago and funds had needed to be diverted to “more critical capital works”. The Opposition claims the Government has not delivered on promises for a $1 million roof replacement at Bridgetown Hospital, $100,000 and $70,000 for the Donnybrook and Pemberton hospitals, and $25,000 for the Northcliffe Nursing Post. WACHS said the “priority hospital maintenance blitz” was forecast prior to the pandemic but had still delivered almost $170m of building maintenance. “Market conditions have changed rapidly since that time, including a significant rise in the cost of labour and materials associated with each project,” the WACHS statement read. “As such, some funding was diverted to cover the cost of more critical capital works such as upgrades to regional emergency departments and the Newman Health Campus redevelopment. “It’s important to note that the priority hospital maintenance blitz is not the only way in which we are able to maintain our hospitals and health services.” Shadow minister for regional health Martin Aldridge had previously said the Cook Government had perpetuated budget cuts by stealth in failing to deliver the program. “Analysis by the Opposition has unveiled the grim reality that out of 209 promised projects, a staggering 97 were never delivered through this funding program, comprising nearly half of the program’s intended scope,” Mr Aldridge said. “The minister for health must apologise for yet another broken promise in regional health and provide a clear explanation as to why these funds were not spent, and why the Government has not been upfront about these multi-million-dollar cuts.” Also responding in a statement, Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson outlined major projects in regional centres including Geraldton, Bunbury, Collie and Albany, but did not address Opposition claims about the local facilities. “Since 2019 the Cook Government has completed almost $170 million worth of building maintenance at WA regional hospitals,” the Minister’s statement read. “We are also undertaking major rebuilds of regional hospitals including the biggest upgrade to Geraldton Health Campus since the early 2000s, and a major redevelopment of Bunbury Regional Hospital. “This year I opened the new $61.4 million Newman Health Campus, and we have delivered redeveloped Dongara and Collie health services, and a Radiation Oncology Centre for the people of Albany. “The Cook Government continues to deliver state-of-the-art health facilities for regional communities.”