St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital unveils plans for new Intensive Care Unit

St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital has announced plans to open a seven-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in 2025, which will provide specialised care for critically ill individuals in the community.

2 May 2024

Driven by a commitment to enhance their medical and surgical offerings, St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital aims to address the critical unmet need for intensive care services in the region.

St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Unwin said the ICU would increase the level of critical care clinical support available at the hospital.

“By establishing an ICU, and upgrading from our current Special Care Unit, we will be able to care for patients with complex surgical and medical needs, filling a critical gap in intensive care services within the region. This will ensure patients can receive the highest level of care close to home,” Ms Unwin said.

“In the event that a patient’s condition deteriorates during their hospital stay, the ICU will provide specialist onsite critical care, removing the potential need to transfer to an alternate location.”

The facility will be staffed by highly trained critical care doctors and nurses who will provide around the clock care, with support from specialist ICU equipment.

Ms Unwin said the new service will also provide current staff the opportunity to upskill and specialise in the critical care field.

"We strongly support and encourage the professional development of our staff, and the implementation of this service will create exciting opportunities for new and existing caregivers to expand their skills, deepen their expertise, and further their careers in the dynamic field of critical care medicine.”

St John of God Health Care Group Chief Operating Officer Ben Edwards said that the new facility at Mt Lawley would support the existing ICU services across the St John of God Health Care Group, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to delivering exceptional care to critically ill patients.

“The establishment of the new unit at Mt Lawley will increase the number of ICU beds in Western Australia, further bolstering our capabilities in the critical care field,” said Mr Edwards.

“This initiative aligns with the organisation’s overarching vision of delivering high-quality safe care and clinical excellence across all of our facilities.”

St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital also continues to invest in upgrading procedural facilities and technology onsite, including the arrival of two robotic-assisted surgical systems, the CORI and MAKO, which will increase surgical capabilities and support the hospital to deliver cutting-edge, minimally invasive procedures to patients.

Development works are underway to establish the new ICU, with construction slated to begin later in 2024, and opening planned for mid-2025.