Things Happening at Fremantle Hospital - Opthalmology and Mental Health

Ophthalmology is both a tricky word to say and explain.

The dictionary though tells you it is the study of medical conditions relating to the eye.

And Ophthalmologists are doctors who specialize in the medical and surgical treatment of the eye.

Mental Health we better understand, although sometimes its dimensions are not totally clear.

Fremantle Hospital towering over Fremantle like an Etruscan tower over an Umbrian hill town. Credit Fremantle Shipping News

What we do know though is that both areas of health are important and it’s good news to hear that a new ophthalmology unit at Fremantle Hospital opened this week, paving the way for a major expansion of mental health services.

From Tuesday this week, ophthalmology outpatients at Fremantle Hospital had access to the hospital’s newly designed and built ophthalmology department.

With more than 180 patients passing through its doors every day, ophthalmology is one of the busiest outpatient services at Fremantle Hospital, and the new facility has been designed to suit the unique needs of the service and its patients.

The ophthalmology unit was the final service to be relocated from ‘V Block’ at Fremantle Hospital, marking the beginning of redevelopment works for the State Government’s new 40-bed mental health ward at the hospital.

The McGowan Government is investing $45.5 million to fund the 40-bed mental health redevelopment.

This includes $5.5 million for the ophthalmology unit.

The 40-bed mental health development will transform Fremantle Hospital into a mental health hub, significantly boosting the current 64-bed inpatient admission capacity and providing better access to expert care for patients with a mental illness in the south metropolitan region.

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