To describe the establishment of Australia’s first psychiatric day hospital in Western Australia in April 1959 by Dr Digby Moynagh (1911–1963).
Methods:
A range of primary and secondary sources were consulted.
Results:
Moynagh was able to establish the Graylands Day Hospital because he had an outsider’s perspective, and was familiar with the day hospital model from UK psychiatric literature. However, he was opposed by local medical and political interests, which eventually led to his departure from the State.
Conclusions:
The Graylands Day Hospital and Digby Moynagh both contributed towards the process of psychiatric deinstitutionalisation in Australia.
Victoria. Report of the Mental Hygiene Authority for the year ended 31st December 1958. Melbourne: Government Printer, 1959.
2.
Victoria. Report of the Mental Hygiene Authority for the year ended 31st December 1959. Melbourne: Government Printer, 1960.
3.
Undersecretary to Minister for Health, 28 July 1961. Mental Hospitals – Claremont Mental Hospital – reports of visits of inspection by Inspector General under section 86-87 Lunacy Act, AN 200/3, acc 1374, item 1941/45, 28July1961. State Records Office of Western Australia.
4.
Fire-walking experiments. Br Med J1935; 2(3899): 586.
5.
EllisA. Eloquent Testimony: the story of the mental health services in Western Australia. Crawley: UWA Press, 1984, p.121.
6.
Western Australia. Report of the Inspector General of Mental Hospitals, 1958. Perth: Government Printer, 1959.
7.
Western Australia. Report of the Inspector General of Mental Hospitals, 1959. Perth: Government Printer, 1960.
8.
BissettW. A hospital of hope. Australian Women’s Weekly, 5July1961, p.4.
9.
Dr Neville Hills, interviewed by author, 14July2009.
10.
Addict: Perth my hope of cure. Daily News, 27August1969, p.2.
11.
Addict, tired of hospital, being deported. Daily News, 6November1969, p.4.
12.
WA hospital to make history. Daily News, 24February1959.
13.
O’SullivanD. The start of the new road. Daily News, 25February1959.
14.
Graylands to get a day mental home. West Australian, 25February1959.
15.
First day hospital is opened. West Australian, 18April1959.
16.
Happy returns. Daily News, 15October1959.
17.
FerberM. Wonderful link in mental health chain. Daily News, 9November1959.
18.
Protest on day hospitals. Daily News, 4March1959.
19.
Appointment of Committee to study future needs of States Mental Health Services. AN 200/3, acc 1374, item 1960/61, State Records Office of Western Australia.
20.
Police inquiry on death of doctor. Sydney Morning Herald, 24May1963, p.4.
21.
Obituary. The Times, 27May1963, p.16.
22.
DaxEC. The evolution of community psychiatry. Aust N Z J Psychiatry1992; 26: 295–301.
23.
Western Australia. Annual Report of the Director of Mental Health Services, 1972. Perth: Government Printer, 1973.
24.
FoleyM. From social policy to social work: the antecedents and origins of mental health social work in Western Australia. PhD Thesis, University of Western Australia, Australia, 2010.
