Kooweerup Hospital plans to expand

By Jim Mynard
KOOWEERUP Hospital has revealed plans for a major redevelopment.
Hospital board chairman Gary King said the redevelopment would include a hostel with 40 beds, a nursing home with 20 beds, and 18 acute medical beds.
Mr King said the board of the Kooweerup Community Health Service had been planning the project for eight years.
“This is a whole new health service plan for people in the rural area and will carry the hospital through for the next 10 years.
“We have strong support from the department, but we still need more money.
“I am, however, sure we can overcome that because we have a win win situation for everyone.”
Kooweerup Hospital Ladies Auxiliary representative May Ridgway revealed the plans during the Lang Lang Show Society annual meeting at the Palace Hotel, Lang Lang on Thursday 13 July.
Mrs Ridgway was at the meeting to thank the show society for its ongoing support of the hospital.
She said the money was used each year for a special project, but said the hospital was now looking forward to the redevelopment, which would be a really big project.
Mrs Ridgway said the drawings for the change were well under way.
“Many women will remember the maternity wing.
“This will become the new administration area.”
The hospital theatre closed in January 2005, because Casey Hospital was extremely well equipped in that area.
Mrs Ridgway said the hospital board of management, the chief executive, and the Department of Human Services had developed a new service plan.
Mrs Ridgway said the architects were now working with management and the board on draft three of the plans.
“This is an exciting time for the hospital,” she said.
“We expect to remain as an acute hospital with 18 beds to provide palliative care, interim care for patients waiting to be placed in permanent residential care, acute medical care, post surgical, and slow stream rehabilitation.
“We expect allied health services such as physiotherapy and podiatry to be expanded.”
Mrs Ridgway said more community health services could be provided, such as an introduction to health promotion, a men’s shed for men’s health, diabetes and chronic disease education, plus information for people with heart and lung disease.
“We hope to have a new respite unit to help people caring for others.
“They will be able to book the person into the unit to provide a break.
“This will also cater for emergencies if a carer becomes ill.
“This unit will cater for palliative care, difficult behaviour, disability, and dementia.”