The new Gnullingoo Mia residential aged care facility at Carnarvon Hospital in WA has reached practical completion, and will start taking residents at the end of this month.
Run by the WA Country Health Service (WACHS), the 38-bed facility will provide aged and palliative care, and will feature accommodation for couples and family members, as well as sensory gardens with native vegetation.
West Australian Health Minister Roger Cook has celebrated the completion of the $19.9 million facility.
“This includes $5 million from the End of Life and Palliative Care initiative to provide bespoke facilities for residents who may require permanent and respite care and those reaching end-of-life.
“While WACHS will spend the next few weeks in the client commissioning phase, I expect it will be able to welcome residents from Poinciana Lodge in late October,” he said.
The co-location with Carnarvon Hospital will enable residents to access other health services and specialties, with Mining and Pastoral MLC Kyle McGinn saying that they will not need to leave the Gascoyne region to achieve the care they require.
“The new facility more than doubles the size of the old facility which only had 16 beds.
“We have ensured their new home is fit-for-purpose - featuring telehealth-enabled facilities, accommodation for couples and family members and offering the very best in integrated residential aged and palliative care,” he said.
The client commissioning phase will now see WACHS install furniture and equipment, including ICT, with the official opening of the facility to take place later this year once residents and staff have settled in.
