The Health Minister cannot continue to ignore widespread alarm about the decision to build the new Women and Babies Hospital at Murdoch after yet another leaked report highlighted clinicians’ concerns.
The New Women & Babies Hospital Project Clinical Consultation Report is the third report leaked from the Health Department which clearly outlines concerns the move to Murdoch, 20 kilometres from Perth Children’s Hospital, will impact the care of our most vulnerable babies and their mothers.
Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam said the Minister could not continue to turn a blind eye to the multiple red flags being raised about this dumbfounding decision.
“Yet another leaked report, this time from the Health Department, highlights the clear disconnect between health workers' concerns about this reckless move and a government that refuses to listen,” Ms Mettam said.
“For the Premier to say the concerns of clinicians raised in this report is nothing new points yet again to a government that thinks it knows better than the medical specialists that work in this field.
“It is unfathomable that the Cook Labor Government would arrogantly forge ahead with this Captain's call in the face of the clearly stated dire clinical outcomes for women and babies and overwhelming concern from their own specialist workforce.
“There are now hundreds of senior medical specialists across a range of specialties sounding the alarm and appealing to the Minister to stick to the plan and tri-locate this new hospital at QEII with a tertiary children’s and adults’ hospital, as is international best practice.
“We are the only state in the country that does not have tri-location of these services and it is absolutely astonishing that the Minister has decided not to proceed with this world-class model while we still can.”
Today’s report also highlighted the need for considerable investment in other services north of the river that would be needed to make up the shortfall in services and the fragmentation of care and training opportunities given specialist services would not be able to rapidly travel between the two hospitals.
Ms Mettam said claims by Labor that building the hospital at QEII would lead to a delay of 20 years was not supported in its business case.
“The government’s own business case timeline shows the Women and Babies Hospital would be completed by mid-2030 if constructed at QEII and importantly would be a world class tri-located facility to support generations to come.
“I once again urge Premier Cook and his Minister to stop peddling misinformation and listen to those working in the field who have the expertise and experience to inform these decisions.
“How many more senior medical experts need to raise the red flag about the extreme risks involved with this move before the Premier and his Minister will admit they got it wrong?
“I urge them, once again, to reverse this decision and tri-locate the hospital at QEII to ensure WA has world-class facilities for generations to come.”
