findingrecords.dhhs.vic.gov.au

E C Dax House

Summary

  • Auspice:Geelong Hospital (from 1979) ; Health Commission of Victoria 1978-1985 ; Department of Health II 1985-1992 ; Department of Health and Community Services 1992-1996 ; Department of Human Services I 1996-2010
  • Name:E C Dax House (1969–mid-90s)

EC Dax House history in brief

In 1979, the EC Dax House was absorbed into the Geelong Hospital as a psychiatric unit, named after Dr Eric Cunningham Dax, noted psychiatrist and inaugural Chairman of the Mental Hygiene Authority of Victoria.

The unit become the Geelong Hospital Acute Inpatient Unit. In the mid-1990s, as part of the department’s general move towards including psychiatric services with mainstream health and community services, management of the unit was transferred to community mental health services.

Warning about distressing information

This guide contains information that some people may find distressing. If you experienced abuse as a child or young person in an institution mentioned in this guide, it may be a difficult reading experience. Guides may also contain references to previous views, policies and practices that are regrettable and do not reflect the current views, policies or practices of the department or the State of Victoria. If you find this content distressing, please consult with a support person either from the Department of Health and Human Services or another agency.

Disclaimer

Please note that the content of this administrative history is provided for general information only and does not purport to be comprehensive. The department does not guarantee the accuracy of this administrative history. For more information on the history of child welfare in Australia, see Find & ConnectExternal Link .

Source

Administrative history files from the department.

List of records held by the department

For information relating to the central management of care leavers and wards of state, please consult the guide to Central department wardship and out-of-home care records. These collections date back to the 1860s and include ward registers, index cards and ward files.

PLEASE NOTE: Patients could be admitted to a Receiving House for short-term treatment and care, but were not permitted to remain longer than two months.
Patients still needing treatment after two months could be sent to a Psychiatric Hospital, in the same institution/complex or another. Hence, there could be more than one set of records for any one person. Please check each location for former patient records.


Register of patients (admission and discharge register) (1980-87)

Volume; Permanent VPRS Number 17798 / P0001

Content: Registers give summary information about patients admitted to and discharged from the clinic.

The collection consists of bound volumes which are admission and discharge registers for EC Dax House at Geelong Hospital.

They contain the usual columns for entries:

  • type of admission [whether voluntary or recommended or involuntary]
  • the patient’s number in order of admission
  • date of admission
  • patient’s full name
  • date of birth
  • marital status
  • place of abode
  • religion
  • form of mental illness
  • physical condition
  • superintendent’s signature
  • date of discharge or date of death and cause or date of transfer to another institution.

There is an alphabetical index of patients’ names at the front of each register.


Indemnity forms (1990-95)

Document; Temporary

Content: These records were used to indemnify the trust office and the hospital against any responsibility should patients’ property be lost or damaged.
The records were destroyed in 2003.


Medical certificates (1984-96)

Document; Temporary

Content: Copies of medical certificates completed by hospital staff to certify the patient was too unwell to attend work, or to give to the Department of Social Security to receive sickness benefits.

The records were destroyed by 2010.


Seclusion register (1983-87)

Volume; Temporary

Content: This volume consists of a seclusion register from Dax House at Geelong Hospital. The volume was used to record the use of seclusion as a restraint at the unit.

The volume contains information about patients subject to restraint and seclusion, the time, date, duration and reason for the seclusion. The entries are in chronological order.


Trial leave application and approvals (1980-87)

File; Temporary

Content: These records are applications and approvals for trial leave by patients at the hospital.


Unreported leave register (1980-87)

File; Temporary

Content: These records provide details of incidents of leave taken by the hospital’s patients. They consist of a register which lists patients’ leave. Details include

  • name
  • departure date
  • return date
  • who the patient is staying with.

There is also a listing of escapees from the centre (at the back of the volume) that records the patient’s name with dates of absconding and return.
Entries are in chronological order with an index at the front.


Patient cash books (1990-96)

Volume; Temporary

Content: These records document the receipt and expenditure of patients’ money held by the trust office.

The records were destroyed in 2008.


Admission warrants (1980-95)

Document; Permanent (Unappraised)

Content: This collection comprises admission warrants that document admission of persons to EC Dax House according to legislative requirements. They may also include documentation relating to the release, transfer or death of patients.

A warrant is a legal document recommending on a prescribed form a person’s admission and stating that their admission is lawful. Warrants contain medical certificates giving prescribed details from medical practitioners required for admission.

Admission could be requested by family or friends or in involuntary cases by the police. Warrants are co-signed by an authorised psychiatrist.

The warrants are arranged in ascending order from 1980 to 1995 by date of admission.


Patient property books (1990-95)

Volume; Temporary

Content: This collection consisted of books which recorded patients’ personal belongings that were in their custody at the time they were admitted to the hospital.
The records were destroyed in 2003.

Departmental administration


Plans (1977-88)

Drawings and photographs; Permanent (Unappraised)

Content: These records are plans of the hospital site and buildings. They consist of some architectural drawings used in the construction of the psychiatric unit at Geelong hospital along with some photographs of the unit.


Financial records (1979-91)

File; Temporary

Content: A variety of financial records from the hospital including invoices, revenue ledgers, general claim forms and financial reports. The records were destroyed by 2001.


Requisitions (1988-94)

File; Temporary

Content: Requisitions used at the hospital as part of the activity to approve the acquisition of goods and services.
The records were destroyed in 2004.


Employee leave schedules and rosters (1990-93)

File; Temporary

Content: An assortment of staff attendance related records from the hospital giving details of rosters and staff leave.
The records were destroyed in 2010.


Miscellaneous information files, mental health services development and redevelopment (1988-92)

File; Temporary

Content: This collection comprises miscellaneous material accumulated at the Barwon regional office of the department, which relates to mental health services development or redevelopment. There are several records relating to EC Dax House. Other matters mentioned in file titles include:

  • Brierly Hospital
  • Barwon Psychiatric Services Advisory Committee
  • AIDS liaison officers
  • Lakeside Hospital reports
  • capital works
  • Glenelg psychiatric services
  • Grace McKellar Centre.

Patient statistics (1972-82)

File; Temporary

Content: This collection consists of various files of statistics from EC Dax House.

The statistics relate to:

  • admissions and discharges
  • occupational therapy
  • day hospital
  • clinical
  • outpatients.

Some Colac day hospital statistics are also included.

Reviewed 26 August 2016