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Series VPRS 7682
Register of Patient Admission and Discharge
About this Series Related Series Accessing the records in this Series
Date Range: Series 1966 - 1988
  Series in Custody 1966 - 1988
  Contents 1966 - 1988
Public Access: Closed
Location: North Melbourne
Format of Records: Physical
 
Agency which created this SeriesAgency which created this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
1966 - 1988 Kew (Asylum 1871-1905; Hospital for the Insane 1905-1934; Mental Hospital 1934-c.1970's; Mental/Psychiatric Hospital c.1970's-1988) VA 2840
Agency currently responsible for this SeriesAgency currently responsible for this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
2003 - cont Department of Human Services VA 3970
Description of this SeriesDescription of this Series
  • How to use the Records
    Admission and Discharge Registers

    Each volume of these registers contains an index by patient name which gives a reference to the number of the page of that volume upon which the patient's entry will be found.

    System of Arrangement/Control

    Series: Chronological by date of admission. Each volume of the Register of Admission and Discharge contains an index by patient name which gives a page reference.

    Contents: 1966-June 1983: Chronological by date of admission. There are separate admission number sequences for male and female patients. Between 1966 and May 1967 a third number sequence was used to record voluntary admissions in the register. This system was abandoned in May 1967 and voluntary admissions were included in the male or female number sequences.

    July 1983-1988: Chronological by date of admission. After June 1983 patients to any mental or psychiatric institution were given a unique record number from a central computerised system.

    Range of Control Symbols

    Series: Units 1 - 4 :

    14 Jan 1966 11 March 1976
    to to
    15 Nov 1968 29 October 1981

    Contents: 14.1.1966 - 3.2.1988

    In 1966 the method of recording admissions to and discharges from Kew changed to incorporate both admissions and discharges in one register. However a separate Discharge Register was also maintained, see VPRS 7681, to record the discharge details of patients admitted prior to 1966.

    Upon admission to the hospital, an entry was made in the register indicating:
    admission number
    the patient's name
    date of birth
    marital status
    occupation
    previous place of abode
    religion
    once examined by medical officers, the form of mental disorder and state of physical health.

    When the patient was discharged from Kew, or died, this was also recorded, along with details of the terms under which the patient was discharged, or the institution to which he/she was transferred, or the assigned caused of death.

    The register also distinguishes between five types of admission which were set out under sections 41 to 49 of the Mental Health Act 1959:

    - Voluntary Boarders (V) were those who entered the hospital at their own request or, if under the age of 16 at the request of a parent or guardian and on the opinion of a medical practitioner.

    - Recommended (R) and Approved (A) Patients. A person could be admitted upon the recommendation set out in a prescribed form, of a medical practitioner who had examined the person. As soon as possible after admission the superintendent of the hospital was required to examine the patient and either approve the recommended admission or discharge the patient.

    - Judicial Admissions (J). Upon information provided on oath before a justice that a mentally ill person was not receiving proper care, or could not support himself/herself or had committed an offence, and after examination by two medical practitioners, and order could be made for the person to be admitted to or detained in a mental hospital.

    - Security Patients (S) were those who had been detained in a gaol but were transferred to a mental hospital upon being determined to be mentally ill.

    From 1982 patients admitted to the Psychiatric Unit, called the Willsmere Unit, were recorded separately in VPRS 7696. This unit was established to provide short term diagnosis and treatment of acute psychiatric illness.

    Each volume of the Register of Admission and Discharge contains an index by patient name which gives a page reference. The admission numbers control the arrangement of admission warrants for patients admitted to Kew, contained in the following series:

    VPRS 7716 Admission Warrants: Male Patients (1925-1983)
    VPRS 7717 Admission Warrants: Female Patients (1925-1983)
    VPRS 7718 Admission Warrants: Male and Female Patients (1983-1985)
    VPRS 7719 Admission Warrants: Voluntary Boarders (1915-1967)

  • Function / Content


  • Recordkeeping System
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Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
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Date Range Series Title Series Number
Controlled SeriesControlled Series
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Date Range Series Title Series Number
1966 - 1967 Admission Warrants - Voluntary Boarders VPRS 7719
1966 - 1983 Admission Warrants, Male Patients VPRS 7716
1966 - 1983 Admission Warrants, Female Patients VPRS 7717
1983 - 1988 Admission Warrants: Male and Female Patients VPRS 7718
Previous SeriesPrevious Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
- 1966 Register of Patients VPRS 7680
- 1966 Discharge Registers VPRS 7681
- 1966 Register of Voluntary Boarders VPRS 7686
Subsequent SeriesSubsequent Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
- 1982 Admission and Discharge Register - Willsmere Unit VPRS 7696
List/s of records in this seriesList/s of records in this series
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Consignment Number Contents Date Range Public Access No. of Units
P0001 1966 - 1988 Closed 5
Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
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Date Range Series Title Series Number
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