A brand new, fully equipped hospital unit for babies in Perth has been sitting idle for three years and is yet to admit a single newborn.

The unit, based at Osborne Park Hospital, was announced via a media statement from Premier Mark McGowan and then-Health Minister Roger Cook in 2019, and despite being reportedly completed by 2020, it has not been staffed or operated since.

Australian Medical Association State President Mark Duncan-Smith told Gary Adshead on 6PR Mornings the fully-furnished and fully-equipped asset is only occasionally used by the hospital’s obstetricians.

“It’s just sitting there, and it’s basically used on an ad-hoc basis by the delivery suite… the people on the ground are telling me the operational funding budget for those staff was never secured,” Mr Duncan-Smith said.

Press PLAY to hear more about the contention around the non-operational neonatal unit

Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson responded to the comments from the AMA, saying the unit was part of the State Government’s plan to future-proof health services, but admitted it is difficult to staff a specific neonatal centre.

“It has been hard to staff, and the number of cots makes it even harder,” she said.

Press PLAY to hear the Health Minister’s full response to the concern over the neonatal unit

Image: North Metropolitan Health Service