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A vaccine update sent out Thursday morning revealed RSV jabs meant for adults had been given to babies and children, and vice versa.

HealthCommentsUrgent warning after patients given wrong vaccine

The WA Department of Health has sent an urgent reminder to medical staff to make sure they’re giving patients the right RSV immunisation after receiving reports of some being given the wrong type.

Hannah Cross

Health ministers Meredith Hammat and John Carey at Joondalup Health Campus.

State PoliticsCommentsPremiumNo hospital in Perth’s far north until ‘time is right’

Labor has refused to put a firm date on when Perth’s far north can expect a dedicated hospital, saying planning was still underway.

Dylan Caporn

Brittney Hart and son Koah, 4, who has two rare cystic fibrosis mutations, will be able to access Trikafta from July 1.

HealthCommentsMore Aussies to get access to effective cystic fibrosis drug

More Australians living with rarer types of cystic fibrosis will be able to access treatment for the first time when expanded rules to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme kick in next week.

Hannah Cross

An adult was recovering in hospital this week after contracting meningococcal - WA’s sixth recorded case of the bacterial infection for 2025.

Public HealthCommentsWA records sixth meningococcal case for 2025

WA Health said an adult was diagnosed with meningococcal serogroup B and is recovering in hospital on Tuesday. 

Claire Sadler

Shadow health minister Libby Mettam has questioned why just $10 million has been allocated in the budget for revamped ED’s at RPH and Midland Hospital.

State PoliticsCommentsPremium‘Years away’: Alarm raised on hospital revamps

The Cook Government’s budget contains just $10 million to revamp emergency departments at RPH and Midland Hospital, prompting fears the projects won’t be delivered for years.

Joe Spagnolo

Associate Professor Juliana Hamzah and Professor Shirley Jansen, of the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, have received funding to develop a world-first drug targeted towards clearing plaque build-up in atherosclerosis patients.

HealthCommentsPremiumNew life-changing drug hopes to cure cardiovascular disease

A world-first drug being developed in WA to cure atherosclerosis could put a major dent in the annual $14.3 billion cost of cardiovascular disease in Australia.

Hannah Cross

One of the existing cath labs at Hollywood Private Hospital.

HealthCommentsPremiumHollywood Private Hospital to add new labs for heart care

Hollywood Private Hospital has put its heart on its sleeve over its ambitions to become the leading cardiovascular centre in Perth.

Michael Palmer

Respiratory Care WA is launching its first-ever children’s respiratory specialist clinic in Australind,

TelethonPremiumTelethon funding sees respiratory specialist clinic open

The South West’s first-ever children’s respiratory specialist clinic opening its doors in Australind this week thanks to Telethon funding.

Craig Duncan

Two and half year old Mia Wirth who was recently taken to urgent care with the flu.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Public HealthVideoCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Grim prediction for flu season in WA prompts urgent warning

WA is in the grips of a horror flu season with the number of people in hospital with the virus more than double compared to the same time last year, as experts warn the worst is yet to come.

Claire Sadler

The study found teenage girls and gender diverse teens were more likely experience worsening depression and anxiety over their high school years, compared to teenage boys.

Mental healthPremiumYouth mental health a growing public health issue: study

Nearly one in four Australian teenagers are reporting high mental distress by the time they’re in Year 10, new research suggests.

Hannah Cross

Premier Roger Cook, Health Minister Meredith Hammat and Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey.

State PoliticsPremiumNew hospital in Perth’s north no closer despite growing need

Health Minister Meredith Hammat was forced to reject calls the Government wasn’t able to focus on more than one hospital at a time saying they had an ‘ambitious agenda’. 

Dylan Caporn

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency have warned consumers about Peter Terzi, also known as Peter Taylor.

updated
updated
Public HealthPremium
updated
PICTURED: Suspended Perth dentist posing risk to public

Australia’s medical watchdog has taken the unprecedented step to name a suspended Perth dentist, who they believe is continuing to work while unregistered.

Claire Sadler

Norwegian and Danish researchers studied the impact of daily walks on low back pain in a group of more than 11,000 people.

HealthCommentsOne thing sufferers of chronic low back pain should do daily

People who walk for more than 100 minutes a day reduce their risk of chronic low back pain by almost a quarter, new research suggests.

Hannah Cross

Consumer group Choice tested the SPF claims of 20 popular sunscreens and found 16 of them did not meet the thresholds on their labels.

Health CommentsPremiumPopular sunscreens claiming to be SPF 50 under investigation

A sunscreen stoush is unfolding after a consumer report testing sunscreens found 80 per cent of those marked SPF 50 were under the threshold, with several manufacturers disputing the claims.

Hannah Cross

Australians are being urged to get their COVID booster jab after a surge in infections from the new subvariant NB.1.8.1.

HealthCommentsAussies urged to get COVID boosters as new variant surges

The variant is behind surging infections in parts of Asia, with the World Health Organisation reporting it is spreading faster than other circulating strains.

Caitlyn Rintoul and Ben O'Shea

Mick Bell received a doctor’s referral for recurrent urothelial cancer on April 9 that was rated category one — the most urgent rating.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
state politicsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Cancer patient one of hundreds on secret surgery waitlist

The West Australian can reveal WA’s surgery backlog of 29,251 is a lot worse than it looks.

Jessica Page

The subvariant NB.1.8.1 is now the dominant COVID-19 subvariant in Perth wastewater, with concentrations of the virus also increasing.

Public HealthCommentsGrim COVID prediction as cases rise in Perth

West Aussies are being urged to get their vaccines.

John Flint

Bindi Irwin has shared details after emergency surgery.

CelebrityComments‘Finally had to seek help’: Bindi Irwin’s shock health news

Bindi Irwin has shared a shocking health update after she was rushed to a New York hospital for emergency surgery before surgeons found 14 lesions.

Amy Lee

New WA Health Minister Meredith Hammat is pictured in her office at Dumas House today.

state politicsCommentsPremiumHow new minister plans to cure WA’s ailing health system

In her first major interview since being sworn-in, Meredith Hammat vowed she is working ‘every day’ to fix the broken system.

Jessica Page

People who are overweight are more likely to experience long-term neurological and mental health symptoms after COVID-19, new research has revealed.

Public HealthCommentsPremiumNew research links symptoms of long COVID to obesity

People who are overweight are more likely to experience long-term neurological and mental health symptoms after COVID-19, new research has revealed.

Hannah Cross

Almost three cases a week have been reported to WA Health over the past six weeks.

Public HealthCommentsWA bus station identified as new measles exposure site

The Department of Health contact tracing teams have identified three new measles exposure sites after another case was confirmed in WA.

Hannah Cross

An ambulance officer with a message.

State PoliticsCommentsPremiumAmbulance workers up ante in pay fight with St John WA

Ambulance workers will undergo industrial action after emphatically rejecting a pay deal from St John WA, including refusing to respond to out-of-hours contact.

Dylan Caporn and Hannah Cross

WA’s measles tally is continuing to rise after another case was reported to authorities on Thursday.

HealthCommentsPopular supermarket, Maccas named measles exposure sites

WA’s measles tally is continuing to rise after another case was reported to authorities on Thursday.

Hannah Cross

Four cases of meningococcal have been confirmed in WA in the past week, health authorities say.

HealthCommentsFour cases of meningococcal confirmed in WA in past week

Meningococcal disease is uncommon, but can quickly become life-threatening if the bacterial infection gets into the bloodstream or the membranes that line the spinal cord and brain.

Hannah Cross