- Cook Labor Government facilitates deal for Bethesda Health Care to take over operations of the Mount Hospital
- Bethesda to assume operations in second half of 2026 following final due diligence and regulatory approvals
- Services to continue during transition to maintain continuity for patients and staff
- Mount Hospital services to be contracted to help relieve pressure on public waitlist, including elective surgeries
- Part of the Cook Labor Government's commitment to ensuring all Western Australians can access the healthcare they need, when they need it
The Cook Labor Government has stepped in to secure the future of the Mount Hospital, brokering a deal for Bethesda Health Care to ensure continuity of hospital operations and the delivery of essential health care services for Western Australians.
An agreement has been reached for Bethesda Health Care to take over operation of the private hospital after its current operator Healthscope entered receivership in May 2025.
The Cook Labor Government has been proactively engaging with Healthscope and its receivers McGrathNicol Restructuring, the owner of the facility HMC Capital, and Bethesda to ensure the hospital can continue to provide high-quality care for patients into the future.
It ensures capacity and choice is maintained across the private health system, with hospital services to also be contracted by WA Health when required for elective surgeries and medically cleared for discharge patients to help relieve pressure on the public waitlist.
As part of the terms of the deal, the Mount Hospital will continue its operations with all existing staff to be offered employment with Bethesda.
The 170-bed private facility located in the Perth CBD specialises in providing cardiology and cardiac surgery, as well as orthopaedics, neurosurgery, vascular surgery, and general surgery, supported by the State's largest private critical care unit.
The Cook Labor Government will provide financial assistance to Bethesda to facilitate the transition and successful operation of the Mount Hospital.
Bethesda is currently undertaking final due diligence on the Mount Hospital before it formally takes over its operations by the end of August 2026.
This involves Bethesda obtaining a licence to operate the hospital and confirmation of the service delivery transition approach in close collaboration with Healthscope.
The Cook Labor Government is delivering record investments to boost capacity across WA's healthcare system, delivering the biggest hospital building program in the State's history with $5.5 billion being invested in health infrastructure over the next four years.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"My government's priority is making sure Western Australians can access the healthcare they need, when they need it.
"Keeping Mount Hospital operating means people can continue to rely on the specialist services it provides - from cardiac care to complex surgery - right here in the CBD.
"This decision protects a 170bed hospital, WA's largest private critical care unit, and the highly skilled staff who deliver exceptional care every day.
"Most importantly, it gives patients certainty that these services will be here when they need them."
As stated by Treasurer Rita Saffioti:
"We've stepped in to ensure services at the Mount Hospital are secured so Western Australians can continue to get the healthcare they need.
"This deal will maintain capacity and choice across our private health system, with the Mount Hospital's services to also be used when needed to help relieve pressure on our public waitlists.
"The Cook Labor Government is investing like never before to boost our health workforce, deliver more beds and build more hospitals across our State, supported by a record $9.1 billion boost to health and mental health in our recent State Budget."
As stated by Health Minister Meredith Hammat:
"Today I hope the hardworking staff at Mount Hospital are relieved knowing our government has stepped in to secure their jobs at the hospital they are so passionate about.
"On top of that, we are securing health choices for Western Australians.
"This deal is about ensuring we are all working together, so we can all access the healthcare we need, when we need it."
As stated by Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey:
"We have already purchased Mount Lawley Hospital - securing the facility's long-term future and bringing additional beds and theatres into the public health system.
"This intervention by our government will ensure the Mount Hospital can continue to operate.
"It's a bold measure to prevent the loss of services and capacity, and is in addition to our record $5.5 billion investment in health infrastructure, upgrading and building new hospitals across the State."
