Perth Children's Hospital

History

In 2008, the state government announced that a new children's hospital would be built to replace Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. In January 2012, Premier Colin Barnett and Minister for Health Kim Hames held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of the construction.

On 30 September 2013, Premier Colin Barnett announced that the new 298-bed hospital would use the original 1909 name, Perth Children's Hospital. This name was chosen as part of efforts to promote "Perth as a major centre for medical health and medical research".

After structural and medical problems with the building delayed the hospital's opening multiple times, the hospital officially opened on 12 May 2018although some departments started operating earlier than that. Outpatients began to be accepted on 14 May 2018. Surgery opened on 28 May 2018, followed by the emergency department on 10 June 2018 coinciding with the closure of Princess Margaret Hospital.

Transport

PCH is 6 km from the Perth city centre, adjacent to Winthrop Avenue and opposite the western boundary of Kings Park. Drop off and pick up bays are available outside the main entrance and the emergency department. Paid parking may be available in the basement carpark at PCH (accessible from the southern end of Hospital Avenue), and in the QEII multi-deck carpark (accessible from Winthrop Avenue). The nearest public transport stops are along Hospital Avenue and Monash Avenue, operated by Transperth.

A pedestrian bridge, dual-named as The Kids' Bridge and Koolangka Bridge, was built in 2021, linking PCH with Kings Park.

Controversy

In April 2021, seven-year-old Aishwarya Aswath died, reportedly within 15 minutes of "a doctor finally" seeing her, at Perth Children's Hospital after waiting about two hours in the emergency department before doctors attended to her, despite her parents asking for help "four or five times". A month prior, emergency nurses at the hospital had formally warned of staffing levels and safety, pointing out "several incidents resulting in significant harm to patients".

References

References

1. "New Children's Hospital Project". Department of Health, Government of Western Australia.
2. Orr, Aleisha. (30 September 2013). "Perth Children's Hospital will need 'two extra floors'". WA Today.
3. (30 September 2013). "AMA criticises decision not to add extra floor to new children's hospital". ABC News.
4. Young, Emma. (12 May 2018). "Hundreds gather for Perth Children's Hospital opening".
5. Mundy, Garrett. (10 June 2018). "Princess Margaret Hospital shuts doors as sick kids move to Perth Children's Hospital". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
6. "Travelling to PCH".
7. (2021-08-04). "The Kids Bridge is now open!". Perth Children's Hospital.
8. (2021-04-10). "Perth hospital to review if cultural bias played a role in death of seven-year-old Aiswarya Aswath". Special Broadcasting Service.
9. (2021-04-06). "Perth Children's Hospital nurses sounded alarm over staffing, safety weeks before girl's tragic death". Nine News.
10. Png, Kenith. (2021-04-06). "Perth Children's Hospital death of seven-year-old girl Aishwarya Aswath prompts urgent review". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
11. Graham, Ben. (2021-04-07). "Perth Children's hospital: Nurse's damning letter before girl's death". Nationwide News.