Perth Now – Cockburn – Michmutters
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Perth’s public hospitals declare more than 500 code yellows as capacity issues plague WA health system

Perth’s public hospitals have been forced to declare more than 500 code yellows in the past year as capacity issues continue to plague the health system.

Worst impacted was Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, which went into code yellow 144 times in 2021-22 – an average of eleven every two and a half days.

That was followed by Perth Children’s Hospital (89 code yellows), Fiona Stanley Hospital (74) and Royal Perth Hospital (68).

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The city’s biggest maternity hospital, King Edward Memorial, declared 36 code yellows in the year to July.

A code yellow refers to an infrastructure or other internal emergency that is impacting service delivery – including a lack of available beds.

Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam said the “shocking” figures – contained in answers to questions in Parliament – ​​pointed to a health system that was “significantly under-resourced and lurching from crisis to crisis”.

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Buggles Child Care Beeliar fined after three young children walk out open gate and are found on path

Three children under the age of four walked out of a childcare center in Perth’s south and were found playing on a footpath, prompting a fine for the operators of the service.

Service provider ES5 Ltd, trading as Buggles Child Care Beeliar, was ordered to pay $22,000 and $2000 in costs by the State Administrative Tribunal for contravention of education and care service laws.

A Department of Communities investigation found that in August last year the children left the center through an outdoor gate.

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A mother who was leaving after collecting her child noticed the children and ushered them back inside.

The investigation found educators at the center had noticed the gate left open more than once during the day and failed to notify the responsible person.

They also failed to ensure the gate was securely locked while the center failed to notify the Department of Communities Education and Care Regulatory Unit about the incident within the required 24 hours.

“This is the ninth time over the past two years where disciplinary action has been taken against a service where children have left the service unattended, and staff have been unaware of them leaving,” Department of Communities Executive Director Phil Payne said in a statement on Friday.

“Childcare service staff must focus on active supervision of children in their care.

“Checks around outdoor areas should include a physical, not just visual, check of gates to ensure they are securely locked.”

In other unrelated incidents, a Mandurah center was ordered to pay $20,000 in penalties and costs after four young children climbed through a fence and were found on the verge of a four-lane highway, in August 2020.

While in November that year a childcare center at Thornlie left a two-year-old girl unsupervised on a bus for almost two hours.

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Peak-hour chaos as crash, breakdowns on Kwinana Freeway and Tonkin Highway add to heavy rain delays

Peak-hour traffic has been hit across the metropolitan area by several incidents as heavy rain causes widespread delays.

Motorists northbound on Kwinana Freeway need to be extra careful on the approach to South Terrace in Como with the left lane blocked after an accident.

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Main Roads have warned of slow traffic in the area.

There have also been a number of breakdowns across the metropolitan area, with the right lane blocked on Tonkin Highway northbound after Roe Highway in Kewdale.

Traffic is slow on approach, with visibility in the wet also hampered.

Traffic is also slow on Tonkin Highway southbound prior to Morley Drive in Morley after a breakdown.

Tow trucks are dealing with the issue in the left emergency lane.

There has been a truck breakdown on the Kwinana Freeway in South Perth.

Emergency services have closed the left lane prior to Mill Point Road.

And Main Roads have warned holidaymakers heading to Perth Airport to allow extra travel time with roadworks closing Tonkin Highway from Great Eastern Highway to Dunreath Drive for bridge removal and construction.

The works started at 4am on Monday, with motorists told to seek alternative routes.

Thick smoke is also making driving difficult on Mitchell Freeway between Neerabup Road and Hester Avenue.

With reduced visibility in the area, motorists have been told to switch on their headlights and take extreme caution.

The latest incidents come after a crash on Kwinana Freeway in Baldivis prior to Karnup Road caused delays on Sunday night.

With wet weather to continue throughout Monday and into Tuesday, motorists across Perth have been warned to stay vigilant, switch on headlights and ensure a safe braking distance to the vehicle in front.

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