A long-overdue upgrade for Clare Hospital aims to deliver safer, round-the-clock emergency care for the Mid North
A long-needed upgrade could be on the way for the Mid North, with a $22 million commitment announced for a brand-new Emergency Department at Clare Hospital if Labor wins the coming election.
The plan would replace the hospital’s ageing emergency setup with a purpose-built ED, giving locals access to round-the-clock emergency care in a modern space designed for privacy, safety, and to keep up with growing demand.
Why this upgrade matters
Emergency presentations at Clare Hospital have climbed 27 per cent in five years, rising from 2,372 in 2019–20 to more than 3,000 in 2024–25. Right now, emergency patients are treated within the hospital ward, with no dedicated waiting area and limited space for staff and patients.
The proposed new ED includes treatment bays, a resuscitation room, fast-track bays, a proper triage area, ambulance access, and improved staff and support spaces. For a hospital serving the region for more than a century, locals say the upgrade is overdue.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said, “Clare Hospital has provided the Mid North with exceptional health services for more than a century, but its emergency department is no longer fit for purpose.”
What it means for staff and patients
Clare-based rural generalist Dr Gerard Considine says the change will go well beyond bricks and mortar.
“For too long, emergency care at Clare Hospital has been delivered without a purpose-built emergency department,” Dr Considine said.
“This promised new investment is fundamentally about patient safety and dignity, ensuring privacy and safe monitoring in a space designed for modern emergency medicine.
“We are fortunate to have exceptionally skilled nurses and doctors working at the top of their scope in Clare, and this new ED, along with other hospital upgrades already underway, will finally provide an environment that matches that expertise.”
Local council support has been just as strong. Allan Aughey, Mayor of Clare and Gilbert Valleys, says the impact will be felt well beyond hospital walls.
“I am ecstatic about this commitment to deliver a new emergency department for Clare Hospital,” Mayor Aughey said.
“This will be a key factor in attracting and retaining doctors, nurses and other health workers in our community.
“A new ED at Clare Hospital will save lives and improve health services for country dwellers and visitors of the Mid North, while helping to reduce some of the pressure on the Lyell McEwin Hospital
The announcement sits alongside ongoing works at Clare Hospital, including upgrades to the theatre suite and a new Central Sterile Supply Department, both due for completion later this year.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the ED project forms part of broader regional health investment, while local MP Tony Piccolo pointed to years of community feedback calling for stronger local health services.
For Mid North families, it’s a clear message. Emergency care closer to home matters, and Clare Hospital sits right at the heart of that.
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