A specialist infant ward at the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth has been permanently closed, despite the hospital previously saying it had only been temporarily shut down.
Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) closed Ward 8A, which has 20 beds, over the Christmas period because of reduced demand for services.
A PMH spokeswoman last month said the closure was “an effective and appropriate way to manage the usual reduction in demand on hospital services over the summer holiday period”.
“It is common practice in all hospitals to close beds during quiet periods to cost effectively manage staffing and other resources,” the spokeswoman said.
However in a statement today, PMH said the decision had given it the “perfect opportunity” to start the “first phase of ward configuration”.
That means the ward will not re-open in its current form, with services to instead be provided under a new combined ward that will also include a general medical unit.
The hospital said the new ward “closer reflects” the configuration of the new Perth Children’s Hospital, which is set to open later this year.
“This decision takes into account important lessons learnt from the commissioning of other hospitals including the review of the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, which identified the importance of introducing new models of care and ways of working before moving to the new hospital,” a statement said.
The new ward is expected to open on January 25, with patients from the current Ward 5C to move to the new Ward 8A on February 3.