As part of a whirlwind tour of Bunbury on Friday, Premier Mark McGowan announced an additional $11.8 million for Bunbury Hospital.
The funding combined with the $11 million for the hospital in the state budget takes the total to $23 million for redevelopments.
The additional funding will alllow for the construction of an additional operating theatre, the establishment of an acute medical assessment unit, a mental health observation area and expanded capacity for the intensive care unit. Mr McGowan said it was great to be back in Bunbury.
"We know in the South-West the population is growing, there are lots of tourists and there is also an ageing population so we need to make sure we keep track of that and need to make sure we continue to provide services and infrustructure to deal with that," he said.
"$23 million is a lot of money, it is much deserved and it is important to make sure this hospital caters for the population of the South-West.
"The hospital is 20 years old and it needs this improvement to keep track of the needs of the community of Bunbury.
"It will streamline services to allow patients to be treated in a more timely manner, with a focus on contemporary models of care.
Health minister Roger Cook said Bunbury Hospital was one of the busiest sites in regional WA with a long tradition of providing high-quality care.
"This announcement goes some way to addressing one of the recommendations from the Sustainable Health Review to address pressure on Bunbury Hospital," he said.
Bunbury MLA Don Punch said the funding was a big win for the community and showed the government was focused on delivering high-quality health services.
"The population of the South-West area is expected to increase by more than 40,000 in the next 12 years and, as a Government, we are working to deliver world-class services to keep up with that growth," he said.
"The redevelopment will help improve health outcomes of the local and surrounding communities by improving provision of services closer to home."
