Nationals WA announce $500m regional healthcare scheme, but stop short of Margaret River Hospital commitment

Nationals WA leader Shane Love has put regional health care on top of his party’s election agenda with a $500 million pledge, but stopped short of committing funds to a Margaret River Hospital upgrade. Speaking in Bunbury on Saturday at the Nationals WA State conference, Mr Love announced the party’s $400m regional health infrastructure plan and $100m Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) expansion proposal. The first two projects to be funded by the infrastructure scheme would be a $59m redevelopment of the Meekatharra Hospital and a $10.3m radiation oncology unit in Geraldton. “It will ensure critical health projects are delivered and providing regional communities with access to high quality health care closer to home,” he said. “That $400m will help provide modern and fit-for-purpose healthcare facilities, which is key to attracting the staff we desperately need, helping to ensure our contingent of regional nurses, midwives, GPs and specialists at workplaces to be proud of.” After the two projects, $330m would still be left in the fund, with more projects expected to be announced before the election. The Nationals WA have called for the expansion of the Margaret River Hospital, but Mr Love said his party wanted to see the business case for the project before a firm commitment. “In the case of Margaret River, the Government has, I understand, done a business case on there,” he said. “It hasn’t released that business case for some reason and are sitting on it so we’re wanting to see what is in store for Margaret River, what the government discussions and the West Australian Country Health Service have come up with as being requirements in Margaret River. “Then we would consider Margaret River Hospital going forward.” A State Government spokesperson referred questions by the Times about releasing the plan, to comments from parliamentary secretary Pierre Yang representing the health minister in Parliament last month. “The release of this information may impact future tender and procurement processes for the Margaret River Hospital and are considered Cabinet-in-confidence and commercial-in-confidence,” he said. The spokesperson also said the Government was committed to supporting health services in the South West. “The Margaret River Hospital continues to provide high-quality care to the local community,” they said. “The State Government is delivering significant healthcare upgrades in the South West, including the $451m redevelopment of Bunbury Health Campus and additional paid paramedics in Margaret River, Busselton and East Bunbury. “The WA Country Health Service also recently launched an award-winning midwifery group practice model (MGP) in Margaret River.” The second part to the election promise is the expansion of PATS which will centre around making it available for allied health and dental care, which the Nationals estimate would open up the scheme to an additional 50,000 families. The widened scheme would also feature an increased fuel subsidy at 40¢ per kilometre, up from 26¢, and a boosted accommodation subsidy of $150 per night from $110. “The Nationals in government will deliver the most significant investment into the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme since its creation in 1978,” he said.