Published on Friday, 30 July 2010 at 12:00:00 AM
Great things come in small packages and - as far as medical equipment is concerned - this applies to Tom Price Hospital’s new defibrillator.The purchase of the $29,000 state-of-the-art defibrillator was made possible through funding from the $38.2million Pilbara Health Initiative. This three-year partnership between the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program and major Pilbara industries aims to boost health services in the region.
Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls said the Pilbara Health Initiative was set up to fund urgently needed health services and equipment in the region, which had struggled to keep pace with population pressures and the needs of the growing community.
“This is part of the State Government’s focus on providing improved services and facilities to people in the Pilbara,” Mr Grylls said.“This new piece of equipment is only a small device but, because of its state-of-the-art functions and portability, it has huge implications for people in the Tom Price area and staff at the hospital.”
Health Minister Kim Hames said the new machine replaced a number of older machines, combining their functions into one small, portable device that could also be used for ambulance transfers to the Paraburdoo airport for RFDS transfers.
“Not only will this machine provide better treatment outcomes for patients, it also greatly enhances the working environment for hospital staff,” Dr Hames said.
Under the Pilbara Health Initiative agreement, $32.96million of funding is being provided through the Royalties for Regions Pilbara Revitalisation Plan, with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy’s Pilbara Industry’s Community Council (PICC) Health Initiative members (BHP Billiton Iron Ore, Chevron Australia Pty Ltd, North West Shelf Joint Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside Energy) contributing $5.28million.Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME) chief executive Reg Howard-Smith said the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council (PICC) Health Initiative aimed to provide on-the-ground health benefits for regional communities.
“Initiatives such as these improve the wellbeing of local residents and help make these Pilbara towns a more desirable place to live,” Mr Howard-Smith said. “This new defibrillator is great news for Tom Price and the residents of surrounding communities.”
The State Government’s Royalties for Regions program has also provided funding for the next five years of $150million in the 2010-11 State Budget for a new hospital in Karratha to replace the ageing Nickol Bay Hospital.This is in addition to a $10million package for planning, health service improvement and staff accommodation at Nickol Bay Hospital, and a further $2.5million for hospitals throughout the Pilbara to replace clinical and imaging equipment and step up health services to nearby communities.
Shire Executive Manager Larry Softley stands with Minister for Regional Development and Lands MLA Brendon Grylls and industry reps outside the Tom Price Hospital on July 30.
Back to All News