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 & .
Source
- Find & Connect
Patient information
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.
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.
Patient case histories, inpatients (c.1970-c.90)
File; Unappraised
Content: Case histories of inpatients who attended the Heidelberg Community Mental Health Centre. These records give details of the patients’ treatment and progress at the clinic and include:
- admission and discharge forms
- treatment sheets
- nursing notes
- correspondence
- medication.
The files are arranged alphabetically by patients’ surnames. There are two alphabetical sequences of files. The first consists of files, which may be described as informal files, which have plain manila file covers with the name of the patient written on the cover.
Files in the second sequence are formal in that they include both the name of the patient and the patient’s unit record (UR) number written on the cover. Both sequences contain the same range of case history information.
Patient case histories, outpatients (1977-85)
File; Temporary
Content: Case histories of patients who attended the Heidelberg Community Mental Health Centre as psychiatric outpatients. These records recorded details of their treatment and progress at the clinic.
The records were destroyed in 2004 under PROS 99/04 Patient Information Records General Disposal Authority (1999), section 1.1.0 Admitted Patient Histories. Refers to case histories of individuals who receive treatment as admitted patients including psychiatric. Destroy 15 years after last attendance, or access on behalf of patient, provided patient has reached 25 years of age.
Patient case histories, outpatients (1989-96)
File; Temporary
Content: This collection consists of patient histories that document the treatment and progress of patients at the Heidelberg Community Mental Health Clinic’s outpatient clinic. The files contain staff reports, medication details, patients’ condition and personal details. Files are arranged in alphabetical order by patients’ family names.
Northern Region adapt files client files (1906-89)
File; Temporary
Content: This collection consists of files that contain assessments made for speech therapy, hearing, day placements, occupational therapy and other matters to meet client needs.
The files are arranged alphabetically by client family name. While the files may relate to patients who attended the Heidelberg Community Mental Health Clinic, they are described in the archival documentation as relating to the Northern Region, Heidelberg Office, of the department.
Patient information administrative records (1983-96)
Volume and File; Temporary
Content: This collection consists of a wide variety of records, some of which are more important than others. Notes in the archival documentation identify this collection as relating to Statewide and Specialised Mental Health Services, North Eastern Metropolitan Psychiatric Services (NEMPS), Heidelberg Clinic and Plenty Hospital. The files are not arranged in any particular order.
They are titled to indicate their contents which includes:
- financial/accounting records
- patient discharge registers
- clinic books
- allocation books recording clinical details
- patient registration forms for the years 1985–93
- various other registers containing patient information and clinical notes
- staff contact forms, contact books for staff and patients
- Plenty Mental Hospital correspondence
- meeting minutes
- committees
- patients on trial leave details
- geriatric psychiatry information
- Heidelberg centre coordination
- external bodies programs such as local council
- patient information and veterans affairs details
- annual reports
- case loads for staff
- medical records receipt forms
- computer printouts file tracking
- staff time sheets
- circulars to public hospitals
- medical appointment books
- clinical practice issues
- staff training
- policy and programs
- external mental health programs
- information for patients
- general administrative records.
Registration index cards, Heidelberg client administrative services, Northern Region (1989-95)
Card; Unappraised
Content: This collection consists of a card index to Northern Region disability clients. The cards are arranged alphabetically by client family name and each card records identifying personal information about each client along with some case information.
Reviewed 26 August 2016