SW hospital not ready for patients
The Busselton community has been left in the dark about when services at the new health campus will be available.
The building will officially open on Wednesday, but a WA Country Health Service spokesman said it would be "several weeks" before patients could use the hospital.
"The transition will occur over several weeks as it is essential to ensure service stability and patient safety," he said.
"During this time, staff will be completing their training and orientation to the building and the state-of-the-art equipment, as well as installing furniture and fittings, testing systems, cleaning and stocking."
Independent candidate for the Vasse electorate in the 2013 State Election Gary Norden said he believed the hospital wouldn't be open to patients until at least July.
"In the Budget papers last year there was a statement saying Busselton Hospital wouldn't be operational until the 2015-2016 financial year," he said.
"I have no doubt there will be a delay.
"The State Government has been lying to the community about the hospital over the past six years." The WA Country Health Service declined to comment on Mr Norden's claims.
South West MLC Adele Farina said Wednesday's official opening was nothing but a PR stunt.
"Last November I claimed it could be at least halfway through 2015 before the Busselton Health Campus was fully operational and it is now apparent that this is the case - if anything, perhaps I was a little optimistic," she said.
Busselton resident Nikki DeLoretta is due to give birth at the new Busselton Health Campus next month, but said her doctors had warned her it was unlikely to be ready in time.
"When I first got pregnant, they said I would definitely give birth in the hospital, but now my doctor has told me it doesn't look promising," she said.
"It's not that the old hospital is horrible and that I don't want to give birth there, but it's the fact that as a pregnant woman I want to have all the boxes ticked and be prepared for what's going to happen.
"It's very frustrating not knowing and unfair that we have to deal with these delays. It is already such a stressful event in my life."
