Premier Colin Barnett and Health Minister Kim Hames officially broke ground on the construction site of Western Australia’s $1.2billion new children’s hospital on the grounds of Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre site, Nedlands.

Mr Barnett said the 274-bed hospital, which would replace Princess Margaret Hospital for Children (PMH) in Subiaco, would be a leading paediatric care and research facility.

“The new tertiary-level children’s hospital will provide the highest level of paediatric care to children from across the State,” he said.

“It will house the State’s only paediatric trauma centre; an integrated research and education facility and all other services currently provided by PMH, including rehabilitation services, and specialist burns and oncology units.”