During your mental health inpatient stay
The following information will support and guide you during your mental health inpatient admission at Fremantle Hospital or Cockburn Health.
You can also read about how we deliver mental health inpatient care.
We expect our patients and visitors to respect our staff and other patients. Physical or verbal aggression is not tolerated.
Closed circuit television (CCTV) is used extensively throughout Fremantle Hospital for the safety of patients and staff. You can be confident that there are strict guidelines surrounding the use and distribution of all CCTV footage.
Our security officers also wear body worn cameras (bodycams) for the safety of patients and staff. Wherever possible you will be informed when a bodycam is recording.
Visitors who are physically or verbally aggressive will be asked to leave. If staff are concerned you may be in possession of inappropriate items, you and/or your belongings may be searched.
Smoking
Fremantle Hospital and the Mental Health Service are smoke-free sites and smoking is not permitted. Please do not smoke on the ward or hospital grounds.
Our staff will support you to manage your nicotine dependence and can provide nicotine replacement therapy in various forms. Your treating team is also happy to discuss with you the many health benefits of quitting smoking.
Alcohol and recreational/illicit drugs
Alcohol and recreational or illicit drugs must not be brought into the mental health unit or given to other clients as they may:
- set back treatment and prolong illness
- increase the risk for violence
- unfairly affect other patients struggling with dependence and illness issues
All alcohol and recreational or illicit drugs found will be removed by hospital security staff and handed to police.
Please also note that if we suspect you have been:
- using drugs you may be asked to provide a urine sample
- drinking alcohol you may be asked to use a breathalyser.
If you have or distribute alcohol, illicit substances or medications not prescribed by the treating team, the treating doctor and/or duty medical officer may decide to discharge you from our care.
Dangerous items
Items which may be hazardous to any person or cause damage to property are not permitted in the mental health unit, including:
- firearms
- controlled weapons
- potential ligatures such as cords or string
- plastic bags
- flammable material/ ignition sources such as lighters or hazardous chemicals.
Your bedroom is your own private space
For your safety, other patients and visitors are not permitted in your bedroom.
When you first become an inpatient, you may be asked to stay on the ward to allow staff to check your wellness and safety.
Requests to access to the hospital grounds or for periods of leave away from the hospital must be discussed with your treating doctors. Their decision will be based on your wellness and safety at the time of your request. The time you must return from leave will also be discussed.
When taking approved leave please sign the leave logbook located on your ward when you leave and on your return.
For involuntary patients
By law, periods of leave away from the hospital must be approved in writing by your psychiatrist.
If your family need to visit outside of the hours below, please check with the person in charge of the ward.
Patients are not permitted to visit inpatients on other wards.
Fremantle Hospital wards 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1 and Cockburn Health Ward 1
4.00pm to 8.00pm, Monday to Friday
9.00am to 8.00pm on weekends and public holidays
For your safety doors are locked at 11.00pm.
Fremantle Hospital Ward 4.3
3.00pm to 5.00pm and 6.00pm to 8.00pm, Monday to Friday
11.00am to 8.00pm on weekends and public holidays.
Doors are locked at 8.00pm.
We expect our visitors to respect others and not engage in physical or verbal aggression. Physically or verbally aggressive visitors will be asked to leave. If staff are concerned visitors are carrying inappropriate items, they and their belongings may be searched.
Please discuss with your nurse what information about your care and condition you wish to be shared with your family, carer or advocate and staff you will be asked to complete a consent form.
Staff will discuss this with you throughout your stay and as your feelings on the matter may change, inform us of any changes you wish to make to your consent form.
Family meetings may be held with patients, families and significant others to clarify goals of care and develop agreed care plans.
A number of facilities and services are available for our mental health inpatients.
Lounge/interview rooms
Patients and their family and carers are welcome to use these rooms when they are not being used for interviews. We encourage you to turn the TV off at 11.00pm as this helps you to settle and sleep well, which is good for your recovery.
In Ward 5.1, pool balls and cues are only available after 4.00pm weekdays.
Comfort room
To help you manage stress and agitation a comfort room is available to provide you a quiet space and some gentle sensory experiences. Your nurse will assess your suitability to use this room. You can also access the ‘calm down box’ which contains sensory items for calming and is located at the nurses’ station.
Toilets and laundry facilities
Toilets are located along the corridors. Some rooms have their own toilets and showers – these may be locked between 9.00pm and 7.00am if required.
A laundry with a washing machine and dryer is available during the day for you to wash your clothes. Please ask the staff for washing powder.
Fremantle Hospital inpatients
Meals are served in the dining room and we encourage you to attend at these times as part of your recovery:
- Breakfast – 8.00am
- Lunch – 12.00pm
- Dinner – 5.00pm.
Hot and cold drinks are available in the dining room at all times. Caffeinated drinks (coffee) may be restricted at night.
The hospital’s catering staff follow strict food safety standards when preparing patient meals. We request food from home or outside suppliers is not brought into the hospital. Food poisoning caused by incorrectly stored, prepared or transported food can have serious consequences for unwell patients. Take away food delivery services are not permitted, and the delivery courier will be asked to return food.
Please note Fremantle Hospital does not have facilities to heat or store food brought in externally.
Cockburn Health inpatients
Meals are served at the following times:
- Breakfast – 7.30 am to 8.00am
- Lunch – 12.00pm to 1:00pm
- Dinner – 5.30pm to 6.30pm.
Fremantle Hospital inpatients
Fremantle Hospital is not responsible for any loss or damage to personal property.
Valuables should be left at home or may be stored in the Property Trust if necessary. Staff can arrange this and you will be provided with a receipt for your valuables.
Individual lockers are provided for any items you wish to keep safe that should not be left in your room. Staff will assist you to get a locker.
Electrical items
All electrical items (except mobile phone chargers in undamaged condition) must be checked by the hospital engineers for safety.
Please give these items to staff who will hold them in the Ward Clerk’s office until they are checked.
Mobile phones
Fremantle Hospital Ward 4.1
Patients may keep their mobile phones on them unless phone restrictions are in place.
If phone restrictions are in place:
- you will be informed of the restrictions
- your phone will be stored securely on the ward
- you may be allowed supervised access to check your phone messages.
Fremantle Hospital wards 4.2, 4.3 and 5.1 and Cockburn Health
Inpatients can keep their phone unless advised by staff that restrictions apply.
For all inpatients
Mobile phones must not be used to take any photographs as this is an issue of privacy for other patients. Staff may keep your phone until discharge if it is necessary to manage this risk.
Fremantle Hospital
Our service includes a visiting chaplain and a prayer room available in B Block.
Ask staff if you wish to borrow a Bible, Koran or other major religious text or would like to be visited by the chaplain.
Share your feedback
We welcome feedback from patients and visitors. Your comments or complaints are confidential and will not impact on your care.
The Fremantle Hospital Patient Liaison Service can be contacted by speaking to ward staff or phoning 9431 2787.
See other ways to share your feedback (external site) about our service.
Contact us
For Fremantle Hospital inpatients
Phone: 9431 3555
Fax: 9431 3479
W Block, Cnr Alma Street and Hampton Rd, Fremantle – view the Fremantle Hospital map (external PDF 675KB).
Opening hours 24 hours a day
For Cockburn Health inpatients
Phone: 6171 4800
1 Honour Way, Cockburn Central – view the Cockburn Health maps (external site)
Operating hours 24 hours a day. No emergency services.