Royal Park Hospital

Royal Park Hospital was opened as a Receiving House in September 1907. Receiving Houses were used to provide accommodation for those patients who required only short term diagnosis and treatment. No person was to be detained in a receiving house for more than two months in any event. Patients diagnosed as insane were transferred to a Hospital for the Insane by order of the Superintendent of the Receiving House.

On 7 April 1909 Royal Park was gazetted as a Receiving House and a Hospital for the Insane.

Since its establishment the title of the institution as Royal Park has been altered to reflect both the community's changing attitude towards mental illness and the Victorian Government's approach to the treatment of mentally disturbed persons. Despite the changes in designation the structure and function of the agency has not altered significantly, therefore the institution has been registered as one continuous agency. The Mental Hygiene Act 1933 (No.4157) altered the title of all "Hospitals for the Insane" to "Mental Hospitals" (proclaimed 14.2.1934).

A Hospital for the Insane/Mental Hospital was any public building proclaimed by the Governor-in-Council and published in the Government Gazette as a place for the reception of insane persons. A Hospital for the InsaneMental Hospital could also provide wards for the temporary reception of patients as well as long term patients. Up until 1954 Royal Park functioned as a mental hospital for long term patients and a receiving house for short term patients. In April 1954 Royal Park's function as a Mental Hospital was revoked, published in the Government Gazette on 7 April 1954.

From 1954 Royal Park functioned as a hospital providing short term diagnosis and accommodation only. The Mental Health Act 1959 (No.6605) (operational since 1962) changed the title of "Receiving House" to "psychiatric hospital".

A special Military Mental Hospital was opened at Royal Park in 1915. The date range of this agency is unknown.

ee also

* List of Australian mental asylums
* John Cade
* Kew Lunatic Asylum
* Kew Cottages

References

External links