- Cook Government commits $1.8 million to advance a health and biomedical precinct
- Health and biomedical precinct to be established at QEII Medical Centre site
- Creates one of the largest health and biomedical precincts in the southern hemisphere
The Cook Government is investing $1.8 million towards advancing a health and biomedical precinct on the site of the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre (QEII).
Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson said the new health and biomedical precinct would bolster the medical research and innovation industry in Western Australia and become one of the largest in the southern hemisphere.
A health and biomedical precinct in Perth will encourage co-location of world leading researchers and innovators, and provide them access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, higher education institutions and world-class hospitals to drive transformational research.
The planned precinct will enhance collaboration between universities, health service providers and industry, resulting in improvements to medical research and innovation in WA.
As the largest medical campus in the southern hemisphere, the QEII site has all the key elements of a health and biomedical precinct, making it the perfect location for this industry changing development.
The funding will be used by a project team within the Department of Health to develop and implement a strategic plan to progress the new precinct with the prospect of future expansion to other emerging precincts across the State. Funding will also be directed towards further consultation, sector engagement, branding and initiatives to promote a collaborative approach to the precinct.
The precinct is expected to improve collaboration between hospital service providers, universities, and health and medical researchers, ultimately improving population health outcomes for Western Australians.
The Department of Health has commissioned Nous Group to undertake targeted consultation to develop a draft, high-level strategic plan, which will be further expanded over the next two years through in-depth consultation leading to staged implementation of the precinct.
WA has a thriving medical research sector, with the Government investing $277 million over the next four years through the groundbreaking Future Health Research and Innovation Fund.
As stated by Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson:
"Enhancing our local health and medical research industry is a key priority for the Cook Government with the goal of transforming Western Australia into an international hub for research and innovation.
"Health and medical research and innovation precincts are an integral part of translating world-class research into improved health and well-being outcomes for Western Australians.
"With this latest announcement, we are one step closer to our Government's vision of creating a world-class biomedical industry and research precinct that will benefit Western Australians and patients across the globe."
