Please note: Access Direction 7 applies to NSW-operated mental health facilities and asylums for the poor/infirm and destitute, except Liverpool State Hospital.
Records more than 110 Years
Records more than 110 years old are Open to Public Access (OPA). You can access the records in the reading room.
Liverpool State Hospital
Patient records created by the Liverpool State Hospital and Home, 1890-1959, are Open to Public Access (OPA). This is an exception to the access direction.
Records less than 110 Years
Patient-identifying records - Closed to Public Access (CPA) for 110 years
NSW Ministry of Health has made an access direction that closes all patient identifying records for 110 years.
This direction includes all Nental health facilities and asylums for the Infirm and Destitute run by the NSW Government, such as those listed in our catalogue under the name of the facility, and under the Government Asylums Branch (with the exception of Liverpool State Hospital).
How to obtain access to closed records
To obtain access to records created less than 110 years ago you will need to follow the three steps below:
Step 1 - Obtain permission from the relevant Health authority
For all Mental hospitals and Infirm & Destitute asylums except those listed in the table below, please contact the NSW Ministry of Health:
NSW Ministry of Health Locked Bag 2030 St Leonards NSW 1590Attention: Records and Library Services
Phone: (02) 9424 5736
Email: moh-recordsunit@health.nsw.gov.au
Please note if you are researching a patient who was in a number of hospitals you may need to approach several agencies for permission, eg: if the patient was at Gladesville (contact NSW Ministry of Health) and also at Bloomfield (contact Western NSW Local Health District).
Other Health agencies
| Hospital | Contact for permission to access |
| Bloomfield Hospital |
Bloomfield Hospital |
| Broughton Hall |
For Deceased Patients: For Living Patients: |
| Callan Park |
For Deceased Patients: For Living Patients: |
|
Gladesville Hospital - Post 1962 |
Macquarie Hospital For Gladesville Hospital records up to 1962, please contact the Ministry of Health. |
| Kenmore Hospital |
Greater Southern Area Health Service |
| Macquarie Hospital (formerly North Ryde Psychiatric Centre) |
Macquarie Hospital |
| Morisset Mental Hospital |
Hunter New England Health Service |
|
Newcastle Psychiatric Centre - Post 1958 |
Hunter New England Health Service For Pre 1958 records, contact the Ministry of Health |
| Parramatta Mental Hospital (later Cumberland Hospital) |
Cumberland Hospital |
| Peat and Milson Island Hospital |
NSW Department of Communities & Justice |
| Rozelle Hospital |
Concord Hospital |
| Stockton Hospital |
NSW Department of Communities & Justice |
| Waterfall Sanatorium/Hospital for Consumptives Waterfall |
Garrawarra Centre |
Step 2 - Contact us ten working days before your visit
If your application is successful you be will notified in writing. Please forward your permission letter to us at: info@records.nsw.gov.au.
Because many of the records, such as indexes and registers show a number of individuals on one page, our reading room staff need to check the records on your behalf to confirm the records exist.
You should contact us ten working days in advance and provide the following information:
- name of patient
- name of facility
- dates of admission
- dates of discharge/death
Step 3 - Viewing the records
We will advise you of the outcome of the records search. There may be few or no records surviving from some institutions, particularly the Infirm & Destitute asylums.
Located records may be viewed in our Western Sydney Reading Room. Please apply for a readers ticket prior to your visit if you don't already hold one, and advise us of the date of your intended visit.
Please note that the person named in the letter must be the person who views the records. If someone will be visiting on your behalf, you will need to contact the relevant Health agency that gave you the permisson to have that person's included on the letter.
You will only be given access to the records of the individual named in the letter of permission. In most instances you will be able to obtain copies of this material.
Alternatively, if you are unable to attend the reading room, we can provide you with a quote for copying. Please let us know if you would like to use this option.