A therapeutic pool at Albany hospital has remained drained and unused despite demand by arthritis sufferers, who have appealed to health authorities to reopen the facility.
The pool was closed six months ago by WA Country Health, which manages the hospital, citing COVID-19 management concerns.
Albany Arthritis Foundation president Veronica Hare said about 100 patients in the region used the pool, which remained an essential tool in the management of arthritic pain.
"All those people are in a lot pain because they don't have access to it and can't afford to go to a private pool," Ms Hare said.
The pool first closed in 2020 in response to COVID-19, but was reopened in October that year after Ms Hare appealed to then-health minister Roger Cook.
In December 2021 it was closed again and has since been drained and cordoned off.
Ms Hare said that now that the pool has been emptied, she was concerned it would not open again.
"I've constantly rung the hospital to see if there's been any change, and they've sent me the directives from Perth to say the pool will remain closed," she said.
Pool pivotal to recovery
Retired teacher Rosemarie Pataky said the use of the hydrotherapy pool before and after her double-knee replacement was pivotal to her recovery.
"I have to really work on my muscles, and I'm going to have to work on them for the rest of my life, so it's really important my muscles are strong," she said.
Ms Hare said many surgeons, occupational therapists and physiotherapists have recommended hydrotherapy for post-operative recovery.
She said an alternative pool at Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre was too cold for arthritis patients, while the only other — at a private gym — was costly.
A spokesperson for WA Country Health Service said the pool was temporarily closed due to ongoing COVID transmission in Albany.
"Given its proximity to the hospital, temporarily closing the facility has helped us reduce foot traffic and keep our staff and most vulnerable patients safe," the spokesperson said.
"We work closely with the arthritis foundation and are currently in discussion on next steps."
