Pastoral care, spiritual care and chaplain

Pastoral care is an integral part of care at the hospital. Whatever your circumstances, however you are feeling, a chaplain can be available to listen and help you find comfort and meaning. Regardless of your beliefs, culture, race, sexuality or ability, our pastoral care service can help you find a greater sense of wellbeing and a deeper resilience for facing life’s challenges.

Compassion, inclusivity and confidentiality are at the core of our service. We offer empathic and non-judgemental care to all patients, families and staff, regardless of faith, spirituality or beliefs. All pastoral care representatives are professionally-trained and hospital-accredited.

We also provide:

• Grief support
• Life transitional rituals
• Opportunities for reflection, meditation and prayer
• A Ritual of Remembrance for early pregnancy loss
• Staff meditation in the Chapel.

Connect with us

Initial contact is generally via staff referral; however, patients or families may request to see someone from Pastoral Care. We are also available to visit patients in clinics and make follow-up phone calls on request.

Sacred spaces and meeting places (open 24 hours)

The Chapel and adjoining Quiet Room are located on the First Floor, A Block (above the main entrance) and are open to all – regardless of belief – for meditation and prayer.

A Musalla or Salat Room (Muslim Prayer Room) is in the Lower Ground basement passageway, running East/West underneath A Block. From the main entrance, take the lift or stairs to Lower Ground, turn left and proceed some distance. It’s on the left.

Memorial Garden

The Memorial Garden was established more than 30 years ago and holds the ashes of many babies. A monthly service is held in the garden for stillborn babies under-28 weeks gestation who have been cremated at KEMH. This is a place of calm and reflection that bereaved families can access at any time. It’s located on the hospital site, on the corner of Barker and Railway Roads, next to the WA Medical Museum. Interment of ashes dates for 2024 (PDF).

The hospital also offers individual cremation for stillborn babies under-28 weeks. Ashes can be collected from Pastoral Care.

Services are held once a month in the Memorial Garden for the interment of babies’ ashes. Recordings of services are made for those unable to attend, and are listed below according to date.