Former medical director raises concerns over Labor’s Murdoch move for State’s new women and babies hospital

A Perth doctor who was headhunted to join an international team developing the world’s most expensive women’s and babies hospital in Qatar has voiced strong opposition to the State Government’s proposed move to Murdoch. Dr Tim Pavy, King Edward Memorial Hospital’s former head of anaesthesia and ex-Clinical Staff Association chairman, described the decision as potentially deadly for patients. He said the Murdoch proposal could pose logistical disadvantages and should be tri-located at the Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) precinct instead. “If you’ve got a sick patient, whether it’s an adult or a newborn or a child, and just moving them from A to B is hazardous,” he said. “They can stop breathing, they can have a cardiac arrest, and they can bleed out. If that happens in the back of an ambulance when you’re halfway between two hospitals, then outcomes will be bad.” Dr Pavy had been among a string of experts from 94 nations called to oversee the multi-billion-dollar Sidra Medical and Research Centre, which is a 400-bed facility that first opened in Doha in 2016. His criticism comes as WA Liberal Leader Libby Mettam said the upcoming State election would be “a referendum on newborn safety” and vowed to tear up any signed agreements the Labor party made before the 2025 election. “If it involves tearing up a contract. We will do that in the best interest of women and our most vulnerable newborn babies in this State,” she said. “Given the incompetence of the Cook-Labor Government, I doubt they will progress to this point (of signing a contract). “It would be financially reckless of the Cook-Labor Government to sign such a contract given the significant clinical risks.” Dr Pavy said building near the QEII area would enhance accessibility for patients and families and foster a central hub for maternal and pediatric healthcare. Ms Mettam said clinicians had raised concerns over newborns’ safety and proximity to Perth Children’s Hospital — saying every other state in Australia had a tri-located hospital health precinct. The site, near Fiona Stanley Hospital, was chosen after a business case ruled that the initial Nedlands location placed too much pressure on the QEII Medical precinct. Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson announced on Monday that, while discussing birth capacity at Osborne Park Hospital as part of the broader $1.8 billion project, Labor would push ahead with the tendering process for the new hospital. Premier Roger Cook accused the WA Liberals of only focusing on “opposition and delay”. “We want to replace King Edward Memorial Hospital, which is over 100 years old, as soon as possible,” he said on Tuesday. “We know that the best place we can build that is at the Murdoch campus because that’s where they have the space.” As part of the relocation to Murdoch, the Government had previously committed to funding a redevelopment at Osborne Park, so it could house expanded patient facilities for maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services. The hospital will also be expanded to cater for double the births, and offer a family birth centre. Speaking in State Parliament question time on Tuesday, Ms Sanderson accused Ms Mettam of having only one policy — “and that’s to not build this hospital”. “We know that the Liberal Party will deliver disarray and risk to the public health system. They will make women wait more than 10 years,” Ms Sanderson said. “The member of Vasse needs to come clean about what services she’s going to disrupt, where she’s going to put it (the hospital), which surgery she’s going to cancel, when she’s going to put patients, visitors, and the car park. She continues to ignore advice.”