$190m project for Perth private hospital

30/04/24

Perth’s northern suburbs residents can look forward to a major boost in healthcare services thanks to a planned $190 million transformation of Joondalup Private Hospital.

The hospital’s operator, Ramsay Health Care, has also announced a 15-year extension of its contract to run the co-located Joondalup Health Campus public facility, which has begun its own $270 million redevelopment.

Both projects are aligned with the City of Joondalup’s goal to grow the area as a medical precinct, according to Ramsay’s State Manager for Western Australia, Dr Shane Kelly.

“With construction due to start shortly it is an exciting time for the community and our staff, for Ramsay and the health system more broadly,” Dr Kelly said. 

Joondalup Private Hospital’s expansion will include a new state-of-the-art operating theatre complex and a 55 percent increase in bed capacity, extending the range of elective and emergency private services and potentially doubling future admissions. 

Due to be completed in early 2026, it will feature six new operating theatres, two day-procedure rooms, a day-of-surgery admissions unit, a 22-bed short-stay surgical ward, a 30-bed surgical/medical ward, and six cardiac care beds. 

“We intend to build on the services we currently provide but with a significant focus on cardiology procedures, orthopaedics, general surgery, endoscopy and ophthalmology while expanding ear, nose and throat, urology, and vascular surgery,” Dr Kelly said.

“Ramsay also wants to expand cancer services by doing more cancer surgery at this site, including breast and colorectal surgery. We plan to further integrate cancer services on the site.”

Ramsay Australia CEO Carmel Monaghan said the expanded Joondalup Health Campus site – which the group started running in 2005 – would be one of the country’s premier public-private co-located facilities.

“This is an exciting announcement to kick-off Ramsay Health Care’s 60th anniversary. We are planning on this being a new and innovative hospital enabled by new technology, including digital and artificial intelligence, which will benefit patients, doctors and our staff,” Ms Monaghan said.

“The private hospital expansion will lead to hundreds of jobs for the local community, throughout the construction of the new facilities and also through the appointment of more than 170 nurses, allied health and support services staff.

“It will attract additional high-calibre specialist medical practitioners to Joondalup and give existing specialists the chance to take on more private work. There will be further research opportunities, which is another benefit for the state.”