- New winter commanders appointed to WA health service providers
- The new role builds on internationally recognised Incident Command model to manage our hospitals during periods of high demand
- New winter teams will operate seven days a week at three major hospitals
- Rapid bed turnaround teams are also being established to improve access to beds across 10 hospitals
- Part of Cook Government's efforts to ensure Western Australians get the care they need, when they need it
Western Australia's health service providers have appointed winter commanders to lead and coordinate care access this winter.
The commanders, who are senior clinical experts already working in WA Health, will be stationed at Child and Adolescent Health Service, East, North and South Metropolitan Health Services and WA Country Health Service from April to September.
Each commander will be responsible for driving improvements in bed access for patients, helping reduce delays in care and managing increased demand, and will work closely with the State Health Operations Centre.
The role is based on the internationally recognised Incident Command model, used by hospitals around the world to manage periods of high demand, including seasonal surges.
Under this approach, a single leader oversees key operational areas such as patient flow, workforce, bed capacity and logistics, enabling faster decision-making and more coordinated responses across the system.
This initiative complements existing hospital leadership and escalation processes, providing an additional layer of coordination during peak winter activity.
In addition, new winter care teams will operate seven days a week at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital from June to September.
Made up of medical, nursing, allied health and care coordination staff, the teams will help patients receive timely care and support earlier, and safe discharge where appropriate.
Bed turnaround teams will work during winter to improve the availability of beds across 10 hospital sites including Joondalup, Midland and Bunbury.
These teams will focus on rapid cleaning and turnaround of beds so patients are able to use them faster.
As stated by Health Minister Meredith Hammat:
"Through our 2026 Winter Strategy, we're ensuring our hospitals are equipped with the very best support to reflect the growing and changing demands on our health system, particularly as the cooler months approach.
"The winter commanders will provide focused leadership and oversight for the hospitals they already know so well, while the new winter care and bed turnaround teams will deliver practical frontline support to help patients move through hospitals safely and more efficiently.
"By improving coordination of care, how patients move through the health system and ensuring beds are ready when they're needed, we're helping ensure Western Australians receive the healthcare they need, when they need it."
