To commemorate this new era and a $116million redevelopment, the hospital will also be renamed the Rockingham General Hospital, following the ‘Name Your Hospital’ competition.

The extensive redevelopment began in June 2007 and completion of the first phase marks the hospital’s transformation from a 71-bed district hospital to a 229-bed general hospital.

The current medical, surgical, obstetric and paediatric inpatient services will move into the new area to enable refurbishment to occur in the main hospital block.

Health Minister and Dawesville MLA Dr Kim Hames said the opening of the first phase represented the beginning of newer, more modern facilities available to the community.

“Hospital staff have worked hard during this challenging time and it is exciting to see all the hard work come to fruition with the completion of Phase 1,” Dr Hames said.

“We still have plenty of work ahead of us as the next phases continue, but the opening of Phase 1 constitutes a major boost for the Rockingham, Kwinana and Peel communities who will have access to the upgraded hospital facilities.”

The overall redevelopment will see the hospital increase its bed numbers to 229 by late 2009, with plans already in place to transform it into a 300-bed hospital by 2015.

Phase two is already well under way, with some parts scheduled for completion by early 2009. This phase includes a new two-storey building and the refurbishment of the existing hospital ward block.

When completed, it will incorporate:

• four new operating theatres;

• surgical; day surgical; obstetric; geriatric evaluation and rehabilitation units;

• chemotherapy unit;

• ambulatory care unit, and

• new consulting suites.

The medical and paediatric services will ultimately remain in the new phase one building, while the obstetric and surgical units will be temporarily housed in the new building while work continues on redeveloping the original hospital building.