Patients at Bunbury Regional Hospital are receiving faster diagnosis and an improved range of treatments as a result of the hospital’s redeveloped pathology centre.
The Federal Coalition Government provided $4.8 million for the redevelopment, which more than tripled the size of the PathWest pathology centre’s testing capacity.
The new pathology laboratory has enabled the hospital to improve and expand its services to patients. It supports:
• new radiotherapy treatment for breast, prostrate, colon and lung cancers;
• a higher dependency Intensive Care Unit; and
• a high number of patients in the Emergency Department
With its increased capacity, the PathWest laboratory at Bunbury Regional Hospital is also acting as a regional pathology hub for the south west region of Western Australia.
It provides safe and timely pathology services not only to Bunbury Regional Hospital but to other hospitals in the broader region.
This is reducing delays in treatment for patients and allows patients to stay closer to family and support networks throughout their treatment.
The improved laboratory at Bunbury Regional Hospital was part of a Commonwealth program to improve pathology capacity in south west WA.
The Australian Government also provided $2.18 million for relocation and expansion of the pathology laboratories at Narrogin Regional Hospital and Collie Regional Hospital.
The new pathology centre at Collie hospital, with better facilities for specimen collection, opened in 2015, while the improvements at Narrogin hospital are expected to be completed late next year.
Improving access to quality health and medical services in rural and regional areas is a priority for the Turnbull Government and a key element of our Long Term National Health Plan.
The 2017-18 Budget supports this commitment with a $10 billion package to invest in Australia’s health system and the health of Australians.
We’re increasing hospital funding from $18.5 billion in the current year to $22.7 billion in
2020-21.
And we’re supporting pathology with bulk-billing incentives – as part of a $957 million package for pathology and diagnostic imaging.
Australians can be assured that the Turnbull Government’s commitment to Medicare and universal health care is rock solid.
We want Australians to continue to have access to the best health care system in the world – and a strong, sustainable, best clinical practice Medicare is essential to this.
(ENDS)