It was announced today that five million dollars of Royalties for Regions funding will be used to provide the first regional Coronary Care Unit in WA, to be located at the Bunbury Health Campus. Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls said the six bed unit is expected to provide care to more than 2000 South West residents with acute cardiac conditions.
“Because specialist coronary care services are not available in the South-West, most of these people are forced to travel to Perth – away from family and friends – for life-saving diagnostic and therapeutic treatments,” he said.
“This new facility, which will include an angiography suite, will enable people who have had heart attacks or are suffering chest pain to receive the care they need close to home.”
The Unit will be built as part of the St John of God facilities on the campus and will be accessible to both public and private patients. It is expected to open in 2012.
The facility is expected to add to the existing medical skill base in Bunbury by providing jobs for cardiologists and angiographers.