Health campus opens after eight-year, $70m redevelopment

The Broome Health Campus was officially opened last week following its eight-year redevelopment costing more than $70 million.

Health Minister Kim Hames said the phased upgrade of the Broome facility had provided North-West residents access to a high quality, modern health service to match growing demands of the Kimberley.

“Today marks a significant milestone in the delivery of health care to the Broome community and the region,” Dr Hames said in opening the campus at Broome Hospital last Thursday.

“Over the last eight years, we have seen a number of significant developments at Broome Health Campus, all aimed at improving the experience of patients.”

The major upgrade included new operating theatres, consulting rooms for visiting specialists, a public dental surgery, refurbished maternity unit and an expanded $10.4 million emergency department, which has more than doubled to 15 acute bays.

The campus is also now equipped with the latest specialist equipment and provides a modern and purpose-built environment for patients to receive high quality care.

“This is a beautiful health campus now and I would like to congratulate the staff here for putting up with construction work going on all this time and still being able to perform a fantastic service to the people of Broome and the region,” he said.

Dr Hames said a freeze on health staff had “caused problems” in the country but the government was working hard to “close gaps in services”.

“We do have exemptions. Just recently here, for example, we have had exemptions for people working at Fitzroy Hospital and for people working in this hospital and Derby to make sure that we fill in the gaps when people go.

“This has caused us problems and we are working with the treasurer to make sure there are no gaps in services.”

Dr Hames said the staged redevelopment of health services at Broome was designed to minimise disruption to patients and staff and ensure ongoing high-quality delivery of care.