The state government is planning to slash its “real per capita” contribution to health spending by almost 10 percent over the next few years – and by more than five percent in 2018-19 alone – according to a leaked budget briefing note.

The document, which is marked “for the Minister for Health only”, has emerged in a row over funding for Mandurah’s Peel Health Campus and led to calls for the government to announce plans to expand the hospital in May’s state budget.

The document shows the state government plans to cut its contribution to health spending from $2040 per person in 2016-17 to $1849 per person in 2020-21. Credit:Mandurah Mail.

It details how much the government will spend per person in the health budget after including inflation and excluding non-state funding such as Commonwealth grants, private patient revenue and donations.

According to the briefing note, real per capita health appropriations will drop from $2040 per Western Australian in Labor’s first budget delivered in 2017 to $1849 in 2020-21.