News & Events: Media Releases

Refining emergency training skills at Joondalup Health Campus

24 September 2011

Joondalup Health Campus's operational readiness for a mass casualty incident was tested this week in an emergency management training exercise.

The half-day Emergo Train System (ETS) exercise was part of an emergency management education and training program developed by the WA Department of Health.

The exercise involved 60 staff members from the Emergency Department, Intensive Care, Theatre and Wards and tested Joondalup Health Campus's operational readiness for a mass casualty incident.

Joondalup Health Campus Disaster Management Coordinator, Mary McConnell said it is important that the hospital continuously develops and maintains emergency training and skills.

"It is vital that we, as health professionals, practice our skills including clinical management, resource management, decision making and ambulance transport to ensure the Joondalup Health Campus can efficiently and effectively handle any major health emergencies," Ms McConnell said.

Joondalup Health Campus CEO, Kempton Cowan, said the emergency management education and training initiative is a prime example of the hospitals commitment to maintaining strong health services in the region.

"Our health professionals and their expert skills are critical in assessing logistical challenges and quick responses for patient treatment in a crisis or major incident," said Mr Cowan.

"The ongoing emergency training combined with our new $29million upgrade in our Emergency Department enables doctors to treat patients more effectively by identifying injuries in seriously injured or critically ill patients more quickly."

The new Emergency Department has 56 patient bays – an 86 per cent increase on the 30 bays in the previous department – with separate waiting and treatment areas for adults and children.

Other facilities in the new ED include a class 5 negative pressure isolation room for infectious patients and external decontamination showers reflecting the hospital's role as a designated disaster management site.