- The Royal Perth Hospital’s Emergency Department is celebrating 50 years of outstanding service to the Western Australian community
- RPH is the State’s longest serving hospital and was established in 1855
- 1,000 major trauma cases and 600 minor trauma cases are treated at RPH every year, with 75 per cent arriving though the Emergency Department
Royal Perth Hospital’s (RPH) Emergency Department (ED) has today celebrated 50 years of service to the people of Western Australia.
Royal Perth Hospital’s designated Emergency Department was officially opened on 5 October 1973 by the then Health Minister, Ron Davies. At the time, WA’s population was 1.1 million and the new Emergency Department was designed to cater for 20,000 presentations per year.
Today, with RPH home to the State’s Adult Major Trauma Unit and Spinal Service, more than 75,000 Western Australians are treated in the ED each year.
RPH admits at least 1,000 major trauma cases and 600 minor trauma cases per year, with 75 per cent arriving though the ED.
As one of three tertiary hospitals in WA, RPH ED also plays a vital role in the world class training of medical and nursing staff. Each year more than 250 Junior Medical Officers are trained in the ED.
As stated by Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
“All Western Australians have been touched in some way by the outstanding contributions that Royal Perth Hospital ED has made to the community.
“RPH’s ED is one of Australia’s busiest – managing more than 75,000 presentations each year, the second highest trauma case load in the country.
“Over the past 50 years, the team at RPH has played a vital role in the management of complex patients from every corner of our vast State, as well as providing world class standards of training for medical and nursing staff.
“Today is a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge the unwavering commitment of ED staff to the community for half a century.”
