19
Sep 2018
Perth Children’s Hospital Welcomes Child Patients from Princess Margaret in One of the Most Impressive Patient Transfers in History
Published in General on September 19, 2018
![Princess Margaret Hospital for Children closed for business earlier this summer, ending more than a century of service to the families of Perth and the surrounding area.
The final patients, almost 100 in number, were transferred to Perth’s Children’s Hospital in an incredible undertaking that required weeks to plan. Some fifteen ambulances, supported by a host of police escorts and hospital staff, saw the patients safely to their new location.
Premier Mark McGowan commented on how complex the move was, noting that "A computer program had to be invented to ensure we monitored the children as they were being moved. Making sure it was all tracked, the children were looked after, all properly cared for, and there were no issues on the way."
The trip was just over three kilometers, and convoys departed five minutes from one another to ensure a smooth transfer. The initial ambulance departed at 7:00 AM on the day of the relocation, and the entire operation ended by 1:00 as the last patient was transferred to PCH.
The entire operation was made easier by “green corridors” of traffic from Robert Roads to Thomas Street. Katie McKenzie, controller of the operation noted how the process was made more difficult because every patient required unique attention: "The children's condition changes very quickly. Our ability to schedule has had to be responsive to those changes.”
The exact number of patients being transferred was also constantly in flux during the planning stages, as McKenzie mentions: "[It] is a few more than what we thought yesterday, a few less than what we thought earlier in the week,"
McKenzie further noted that “the scheduling and reviewing of children was happening right up until about 15 minutes before we started.”
“So it is absolutely well informed and responsive to what's happening in the hospital."
While Princess Margaret Hospital has been closed for good, the fate of Subiaco location remains unclear, though it is slated to be passed on to the Department of Health for revitalization and then to the Department of Lands, according to Health Minister Roger Cook, who noted "I don't have details on what will be the eventual outcome of that site. It's 35,000 square metres in an inner city block, so obviously it's very valuable land.”
Cook also commented on the historical value of the site: "We also have heritage issues associated with that. It was part of the original hospital site so obviously we want to preserve those values as well."
The Health Minister had fond words to bid a final goodbye to PMH: "We farewell the grand old lady of our healthcare system today,"
Of the transfer, Premier Mark McGowan, said it was "the most important day for West Australian kids in over 100 years".
The new PCH is nearly twice the size of the old hospital. That includes both the emergency room (which boasts almost 300 units) and the inpatient facilities, which has a dozen theatres. Originally slated to open in 2015, the hospital was held back for three years due to lead, asbestos, and legionella.
](https://c3eeedc15c0611d84c18-6d9497f165d09befa49b878e755ba3c4.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com/photos/blogs/article-164-1577678838.jpg "Perth Children’s Hospital Welcomes Child Patients from Princess Margaret in One of the Most Impressive Patient Transfers in History")
Princess Margaret Hospital for Children closed for business earlier this summer, ending more than a century of service to the families of Perth and the surrounding area.
The final patients, almost 100 in number, were transferred to Perth’s Children’s Hospital in an incredible undertaking that required weeks to plan. Some fifteen ambulances, supported by a host of police escorts and hospital staff, saw the patients safely to their new location.
Premier Mark McGowan commented on how complex the move was, noting that "A computer program had to be invented to ensure we monitored the children as they were being moved. Making sure it was all tracked, the children were looked after, all properly cared for, and there were no issues on the way."
The trip was just over three kilometers, and convoys departed five minutes from one another to ensure a smooth transfer. The initial ambulance departed at 7:00 AM on the day of the relocation, and the entire operation ended by 1:00 as the last patient was transferred to PCH.
The entire operation was made easier by “green corridors” of traffic from Robert Roads to Thomas Street. Katie McKenzie, controller of the operation noted how the process was made more difficult because every patient required unique attention: "The children's condition changes very quickly. Our ability to schedule has had to be responsive to those changes.”
The exact number of patients being transferred was also constantly in flux during the planning stages, as McKenzie mentions: "[It] is a few more than what we thought yesterday, a few less than what we thought earlier in the week,"
McKenzie further noted that “the scheduling and reviewing of children was happening right up until about 15 minutes before we started.”
“So it is absolutely well informed and responsive to what's happening in the hospital."
While Princess Margaret Hospital has been closed for good, the fate of Subiaco location remains unclear, though it is slated to be passed on to the Department of Health for revitalization and then to the Department of Lands, according to Health Minister Roger Cook, who noted "I don't have details on what will be the eventual outcome of that site. It's 35,000 square metres in an inner city block, so obviously it's very valuable land.”
Cook also commented on the historical value of the site: "We also have heritage issues associated with that. It was part of the original hospital site so obviously we want to preserve those values as well."
The Health Minister had fond words to bid a final goodbye to PMH: "We farewell the grand old lady of our healthcare system today,"
Of the transfer, Premier Mark McGowan, said it was "the most important day for West Australian kids in over 100 years".
The new PCH is nearly twice the size of the old hospital. That includes both the emergency room (which boasts almost 300 units) and the inpatient facilities, which has a dozen theatres. Originally slated to open in 2015, the hospital was held back for three years due to lead, asbestos, and legionella.
![Emma Beardsley once dreaded going through airport security. “I used to panic every time they made me take my headphones off at security,” she recalls. “The noise and the unpredictability can be overwhelming.” Now, thanks to a new policy allowing noise-cancelling headphones to remain on during security checks, Beardsley says she can “travel more confidently and safely.”
In Australia, one in four people lives with a disability, yet the travel system has often failed to accommodate varied needs. Autism-inclusion advocates at Aspect Autism Friendly have welcomed the government’s updated guidelines that let autistic travellers keep their noise-reducing headphones on during screening, calling it a “major step” toward more accessible air travel.
Dr Tom Tutton, head of Aspect Autism Friendly, emphasises the significance of travel in people’s lives: it connects them with family, supports work and learning, and offers new experiences. But he notes the typical airport environment can be especially intense for autistic travellers:
“Airports are busy, noisy, random and quite confusing places … you’ve got renovations, food courts, blenders, coffee grinders, trolleys clattering … and constant security announcements. It’s really, really overwhelming.”
“What might be an irritation for me is something that would absolutely destroy my colleague [who has autism]. Surprise noises of a certain tone or volume can genuinely be experienced as painful.”
Under the new policy — now published on the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs website — passengers who rely on noise-cancelling headphones as a disability support may request to wear them through body scanners. The headphones may undergo secondary inspection instead of being forcibly removed.
Dr Tutton describes this adjustment as small in procedure but huge in impact: it removes a key point of sensory distress at a critical moment in the journey. Aspect Autism Friendly is collaborating with airports to ensure that all security staff are informed of the change.
For many autistic travellers, headphones aren’t just optional — they are essential to navigating loud, unpredictable environments. Until now, being required to remove them during security has caused distress or even deterred travel.
Aspect Autism Friendly also works directly with airports, offering staff training, autism-friendly audits, visual stories, sensory maps, and other accommodations. Their prior collaborations include autism-friendly initiatives with Qantas. Dr Tutton notes:
“Airports have become this big focus for us of trying to make that little bit of travel easier and better.”
He advises people planning trips for travellers with disabilities to consult airport websites ahead of time. Some airports already offer quiet rooms or sensory zones — Adelaide, for instance, provides spaces where travellers can step away from the noise and regroup before boarding.
Beyond helping autistic individuals, Dr Tutton believes that more accessible airports benefit everyone. “These supports help lots of other people too,” he says. “When people are more patient, kind and supportive, the benefits flow to everyone. We all prefer environments that are well-structured, sensory-friendly, predictable and easy to navigate.”](https://c3eeedc15c0611d84c18-6d9497f165d09befa49b878e755ba3c4.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com/photos/blogs/article-1061-1759742013.jpg "“Surprise Noises Can Feel Like Pain”: New Airport Rule Eases Travel for Autistic Passengers")
