"Visiting hours exemptions"

My adult child was admitted to hospital to a medical ward. I recall the current Western Australia Department of Health guidelines, as published on their website, state that Essential visitor/carers are permitted to visit some patients which includes nominated guardian/carer for a patient living with a disability, which is further defined as disability, chronic illness (which includes mental illness). My adult child has diagnosed mental illnesses, plus diagnosed chronic pain and a diagnosed eating disorder. They are on a Disability Support Pension.

Despite two requests, I have been denied permission to visit my adult child outside the current reduced visiting hours. This is impacting on my child's mental health whilst in hospital. When I asked the first time for an exemption, I was told that if I was granted an exemption it would prevent another family visiting a dying family member and that my family member was not dying.

I would like to know why the hospital is allowed to deny exemptions in seeming contradiction to the guidelines as published on the Department of Health website, or if they are following Department of Health guidelines, as was claimed to me, why does the Health Department issue a policy on their website that is not being followed in reality.