Health care
Western Australia’s healthcare ecosystem is a dynamic and collaborative environment that integrates world-class research, innovative practices, and comprehensive healthcare services.
This ecosystem includes advanced facilities and institutes that focus on a wide range of health areas, such as chronic disease management, mental health, aging, and remote health delivery. The healthcare sector is supported by strong partnerships between government, universities, research institutes, and industry, fostering an environment of continuous innovation and improvement.
The public health system, known as WA Health, includes public hospitals, mental health, dental health, and population and community health services. It consists of the Department of Health as the system manager, and 7 health service providers, each with dedicated research and innovation offices.
Department of Health
The Department of Health is the system manager for the WA health system, providing guidance and support to ensure consistent and effective care for the community. It is also at the forefront of international health and medical research and innovation by investing in infrastructure and building partnerships with industry and individual researchers and innovators.
The Office of Medical Research and Innovation in the Department of Health provides advice and services relating to health and medical research and innovation in Western Australia.
Child and Adolescent Health Service
The Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) is a comprehensive health service in Western Australia dedicated to caring for children and young people. CAHS is committed to promoting lifelong health in children and adolescents, emphasising early identification, intervention, and patient-centred, family-focused care.
East Metropolitan Health Service
East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) is an extensive hospital and health service network in Western Australia. Its mission is to maintain and improve the health and well-being of more than 725,500 Western Australians within its catchment area.
Health Support Services
Health Support Services (HSS) is the shared services provider for Western Australia’s public health services and hospitals. As a WA Government agency, HSS offers a suite of essential services to more than 50,000 employees across the state’s health system, including:
- Financial Services
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- Procurement and Supply
- Workforce Services
North Metropolitan Health Service
The North Metropolitan Health Service (NMHS) is committed to providing excellent health care for patients and communities in Western Australia. Established in 2016, NMHS is one of the largest health services in WA, offering a comprehensive range of adult specialist medical, surgical, mental health, and obstetric services
PathWest
Performing over 19 million tests a year from 28 laboratories across the state, PathWest is a vital component of Western Australia’s health system, providing essential pathology and forensic services. PathWest contributes significantly to public health by providing accurate diagnostic services and supporting medical professionals in their decision-making process.
PathWest’s involvement in research activities also encourages and improves collaborations – linking clinicians and surgeons from health services, interstate and local university students and interstate academics with pathologists and scientists across all disciplines.
South Metropolitan Health Service
The South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS) delivers hospital and community-based public health care services to nearly a quarter of Western Australia’s population. It covers nine local government areas in the southern metropolitan region of Perth1
Western Australian Country Health Service
The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is dedicated to delivering high-quality health care to rural and remote communities across Western Australia. WACHS operates a robust network of public hospitals, health services, and nursing posts which are strategically located across rural and remote regions of WA.
Brightwater
Brightwater is a not-for-profit established as a healthcare service that provides care to the ageing and those with disability. Brightwater has also established a research centre to improve the lives of clients, providing scholarships to researchers eager to work in the sector. Research priorities include brain health, ageing well, brain injury rehabilitation, independence, dementia care, quality of life, Huntington’s Disease and nutrition.
Ramsay Health Care
Ramsay Health Care provides private healthcare internationally with facilities in 8 countries. Ramsay Health Care primarily provides patient facing health care facilities such as hospitals and clinics but also contributes to medical research. The Ramsay Hospital Research Foundation provides grants and support to researchers to conduct medical research and clinical trials across their network.
Ramsay Health Care provides healthcare services and facilities across the Perth region.
Silverchain
Silverchain is a provider of home care services in Australia, supporting 115,000 people of all ages each year, across a range of services in their homes including hospital in the home, palliative care, aged care (Home Care Packages and Commonwealth Home Support Programme), allied health and social support, and virtual care monitoring.
Silverchain also funds Future Care, which conducts research while enabling the development and application of emerging models and methods of care. This initiative is an opportunity for researchers to work on projects in collaboration across the sector.
St John of God Health Care
St John of God Health Care is a catholic health care service provider across Australia. The organisation has extensive research capacity in areas such as cancer, orthopaedics, colorectal surgery, mental health and intensive care medicine.
St John of God Health Care provides healthcare services and facilities across the Perth region, in addition to regional locations.
WA Primary Health Alliance
The WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) is the operator of Western Australia’s 3 Primary Health Networks (PHNs) which are part of the Australian Government’s national program aimed at strengthening, improving, and connecting the primary care system. These networks collaborate with various stakeholders, including general practitioners (GPs), service providers, and the community, to enhance health outcomes.