- New 40-bed mental health facility at Fremantle Hospital complete, expanding access to specialist care
- Includes neurobehavioural unit and older adult ward to increase inpatient capacity
- The State's first 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Centre provides a safer alternative to emergency department care for mental health
- More than 1,000 hospital beds have now been delivered since 2021
The Cook Labor Government has completed the $88.1 million expansion of Fremantle Hospital, significantly expanding mental health care options and improving access for the community.
The development includes additional inpatient capacity, specialist older adult services, a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Centre, and the introduction of neurostimulation therapy.
It also includes a new neurobehavioural unit for older adults, 10 open beds, and a 20-bed secure mental health ward, contributing to 40 additional beds across the service.
In a Western Australian-first, the new 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Centre will provide a dedicated entry point for people experiencing mental health distress, offering timely assessment, intervention, and support in a purpose-built environment as an alternative to emergency departments.
The Crisis Centre will also support new referral pathways from ambulance services, police, and hospital emergency departments, improving access and helping reduce demand on emergency departments in Perth's southern suburbs.
The new neurostimulation service will provide access to treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in a safe and controlled clinical environment.
Together, these new services are designed to improve access to care, support earlier intervention, and strengthen connections across hospital, crisis, and community-based mental health services.
The facilities are being introduced through a staged opening, with some services commencing from July and wards progressively opening from August.
The Cook Labor Government is investing a record $5.5 billion in health infrastructure, upgrading and building new hospitals across Western Australia.
As stated by Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey:
"The Cook Labor Government has a record $5.5 billion health infrastructure program, including investments to deliver modern, purpose-built facilities that support contemporary models of mental health care.
"The expansion of Fremantle Hospital includes 40 additional beds, a Mental Health Crisis Centre, and specialist treatment spaces that support both patient care and staff safety.
"Importantly, this will provide an alternative to emergency departments for patients experiencing a mental health crisis, reducing pressure on other hospitals."
As stated by Health and Mental Health Minister Meredith Hammat:
"This calming, purpose-built facility at Fremantle Hospital doesn't just signigicantly boost capacity for emergency mental health care, it's improving how we care for Western Australians in their time of need.
"Fremantle Hospital is now home to WA's first 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Centre, providing a new, dedicated hospital entrance for patients in distress, so patients and carers don't need to present to an emergency department.
"There are also new specialist beds for older adults and patients with complex needs, carefully planned communal spaces, and sensory rooms.
"Every element of this expanded mental health unit is world-class, and designed to improve patient outcomes now and into the future."
As stated by Fremantle MLA Simone McGurk:
"These facilities will provide restorative environments that support recovery and improve the overall patient experience for people in our community.
"This investment ensures our health infrastructure can meet growing demand and support high-quality care into the future."
