WEST PARK HOSPITAL, EPSOM: RECORDS

Scope and Content

The series of records comprise:

6294/1/ LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL MENTAL HOSPITALS COMMITTEE: THE WEST PARK HOSPITAL SUB-COMMITTEE 1922-1942

6294/1/ Extracts from minutes and resolutions 1922-1942
Extracts from the minutes and resolutions of the Mental Hospitals Committee and West Park Sub-Committee were supplied to the Clerk of the Asylum, Medical Superintendent and the House Steward. Each officer accumulated his own pasted-up set of volumes containing the extracts he received. In order to avoid duplication the volumes listed here are those accumulated by the Clerk of the Asylum unless otherwise stated

6294/1/ Reports of the Clerk to the West Park Hospital Sub-Committee 1924-1930

6294/1/ Reports of the Medical Superintendent to the West Park Hospital Sub-Committee and related papers 1927-1936

6294/1/ Correspondence 1924-1936

6294/1/ Visitors' Book 1924-1939

6294/2/ NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES 1948-1972

6294/2/ WEST PARK HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 1948-1969

6294/2/ Hospital Management Committee 1948-1969

6294/2/ Hospital Management Committee Sub-Committees 1948-1951

6294/2/ Finance and General Purposes Sub-Committee 1951-1969

6294/2/ Joint Consultative Committee 1951-1969

6294/2/ Nursing Education Sub-Committee 1956-1969

6294/2/ Pathological Service Sub-Committee 1950-1969

6294/2/ Staff and Establishment Sub-Committee 1951-1969

6294/2/ Food Sub-Committee 1952-1969

6294/2/ Indexes to Minutes 1950s-1964

6294/2/ Register of inspection visits 1949-1960

6294/2/ EPSOM AND WEST PARK GROUP HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 1969-1972
The committee was formed in Nov 1969 from the Epsom Group Hospital Management Committee and West Park Hospital Management Committee. It was responsible for administering the following hospitals: West Park; Epsom; Cuddington; Leatherhead; Ewell Park; Cobham; Shabden Park; Epsom and Ewell; Schiff Home of Recovery

6294/2/ Minutes 1969-1972

6294/2/ West Park Hospital Sub-Committee 1969-1972

6294/2/ Epsom District Hospital Sub-Committee 1970-1972

6294/2/ Finance and General Purposes Sub-Committee 1969-1972

6294/3/ WEST PARK HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE SECRETARY AND SUCCESSORS 1954-1990
The Secretary was the senior administrator at West Park, responsible to the Hospital Management Committee. With the 1973 NHS reorganisation, the new Mid Surrey District was divided into Divisions, the Group Secretary becoming the Divisional Administrator for the Mental Illness Division, responsible to the District Administrator and the District Management Team. With further reorganisation and the formation of the Mid Surrey Health Authority in April 1982, the title changed to that of Administrator responsible to the Mental Illness Management Team who in turn answered to the District Manager. With the 1985 overhaul of the management structure, the title became that of Unit Administrator (from c July 1986 General Manager) of the Mental Health Unit, responsible to the District General Manager. The files in this section have been assigned temporary box numbers pending future deposits.

6294/3/ ANNUAL REPORTS 1980-1984

6294/3/ COPY MINUTES RECEIVED BY THE GROUP SECRETARY AND HIS SUCCESSORS 1954-1986

6294/3/ Hospital Management Team 1973-1985
The team was set up on the advice of the Hospital Advisory Service and consisted of the Hospital Secretary, the Principal Nursing Officer, the Chairman of the Psychiatric Division, a social worker, the Industrial Therapy Manager, the Head Occupational Therapist and the Principal Psychologist

6294/3/ Rehabilitation Committee 1971-1983

6294/3/ Joint Consultative Committee 1957-1975

6294/3/ District Staff Consultative Committee 1975-1981

6294/3/ Psychiatric Division 1970-1979

6294/3/ Epsom District Hospital Department of Psychiatry 1981-1984

6294/3/ Meetings of Heads of Departments 1974-1980

6294/3/ West Park Shop Stewards Committee 1977-1983

6294/3/ Horton Estate Co-ordinating Committee 1954-1955

6294/3/ Mid Surrey District Administrator's meetings with Senior Officers in the District 1970-1978

6294/3/ Mid Surrey District Administrative Policy Group 1978-1985

6294/3/ Medical Executive Committee 1973-1974

6294/3/ Health Care Planning Team 1984-1986
The team was formed in Oct 1984 to comment on the draft district operational plans for 1985-87.

6294/3/ Mid Surrey Community Health Council 1976-1985
The Community Health Councils were set up by Statutory Instrument 1973 No. 221 to keep under review the operation of the Health Service in their Districts and make recommendations for the improvement of the service or otherwise advise the relevant local Area Health Authority

6294/3/ South West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board 1960-1967

6294/3/ South West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board: Principal Administrative Officer's (Mental Health) Committee 1962-1968

6294/3/ South West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board: regional meetings of Secretaries, Finance Officers and Supplies Officers 1958-1968

6294/3/ Association of Hospital Management Committees 1959-1967

6294/3/ National Association of Hospital Management Committee Group Secretaries 1964-1966

6294/3/ Epsom League of Friends 1967-1975

6294/3/ GENERAL FILES 1949-1990

6294/3/ South West Metropolitan Regional Health Authority and South West Thames Regional Health Authority: planning, strategy and general correspondence 1949-1990

6294/3/ Mid Surrey District, Surrey Area Health Authority and Mid Surrey Health Authority: planning, strategy and general correspondence 1974-1987

6294/3/ Psychiatric Divisional Administration and Hospital Management Team: general correspondence and memoranda 1970-1986

6294/3/ West Park Hospital Fabric 1959-1986

6294/3/ Pharmacy 1955-1965

6294/3/ Industrial and Occupational Therapy Units 1960-1985

6294/3/ Area Laboratory 1963-1965

6294/3/ Epsom Day Hospital 1969-1976

6294/3/ Department of Psychiatry, Epsom District Hospital 1970-1985

6294/3/ Hospital Property 1952-1967

6294/3/ Patients and Medical Services 1951-1987

6294/3/ After care/care in the community 1981-1987

6294/3/ Staff 1958-1973

6294/3/ Voluntary Service and Community Service 1972-1975

6294/3/ Ambulance Service 1974-1979
6294/3/ Hospital Closures 1975-1986

6294/3/ Mid Surrey Community Health Council 1974-1985

6294/4/ HOSPITAL SECRETARY 1970-1971
The hospital secretary was responsible for the day to day administration of West Park Hospital under Epsom and West Park Group Hospital Management Committee

6294/5/ FINANCE 1924-1961

6294/5/ General Ledgers 1950-1961

6294/5/ Cash and account books 1924-1964

6294/5/ Parish account ledger 1924-1926

6294/5/ Private Patient's Ledgers 1940-1949
These ledgers give the following details: date; receipt number; from whom received; particulars; personal account to be credited; amount; date paid to bank

6294/5/ Amenity fund ledger 1951-1955

6294/5/ Queen Adelaide Fund 1924-1947

6294/6/ BUILDING SUPERVISOR AND FABRIC 1912-1972
See also 6294/3/boxes 19 – 21.

6294/6/ Estimates and Bills of Quantities 1912-1964

6294/6/ Building Supervisor's records 1924-1972

6294/7/ PATIENT RECORDS c.1923-1987

6294/7/ ADMISSION REGISTERS 1931-1965
Provide the following information: date of admission; reference number; name; religion; age; area (until Sep 1951); whether voluntary, temporary or certified; whether a direct admission; where transferred from. From Nov 1955 to Apr 1962 include a note of whether the patient had previously received in-patient treatment

6294/7/ CIVIL REGISTERS 1924-1948
Provide the following information: date of any previous admission; serial status number; general reference number; admission date; date of urgency/reception order; name; county or borough to which chargeable; whether private, service, criminal or rate-aided; whether admitted directly or transferred; whether previously in any institution approved by the Board of Control; observations

6294/7/ Civil Registers 1924-1939

6294/7/ Certified Cases 1931-1948

6294/7/ Voluntary Cases 1931-1948

6294/7/ Temporary Cases 1932-1946

6294/7/ GENERAL REGISTERS 1948-1962
Provide the following information: date of admission; general reference number; name; whether admitted from home; sex; age on admission; whether voluntary, temporary or certified; whether private, health service or criminal; whether admitted directly or transferred; whether previously dealt with under the Lunacy Act or the Mental Treatment Act; in the case of temporary patients, date of permission and extension by Board of Control; in the case of certified patients, date of urgency/reception order; date and place of departure, discharge or removal; date of death; observations

6294/7/ REGISTERS OF PARTICULAR CATEGORIES OF PATIENTS 1924-1969

6294/7/ REGISTERS OF PATIENTS ARRANGED BY FUNDING AREA 1941-1946
Provide the following information: number; name; period of maintenance (by quarter years); date of admission and discharge, transfer or death if not resident for full period; remarks. The volume is divided by areas which are only identified by numbers

6294/7/ Discharge, Departure and Transfer Registers 1924-1962
Provide the following information: date of discharge or transfer; date of last admission; number in civil register; name; private or pauper; place sent to on discharge/transfer; sex; whether direct admission or transfer; whether this was the first attack of mental disorder; age; date of duration of last attack; aetiological factors; form of mental disorder on admission; if discharged, whether recovered, relieved or not improved; if transferred, whether relieved or improved

6294/7/ Discharges and Deaths Register 1964-1967

6294/7/ Discharge Orders 1930-1960
Provide the following information: patient's name and general reference number

6294/7/ Absence on trial orders 1924-1960
Provide the following information: number; name; union or parish to which the patient is chargeable; date on trial until; weekly allowance

6294/7/ Registers of movements and absences 1956-c.1973

6294/7/ REGISTERS OF DEATHS 1924-1962
See also 6294/7/42. Provide the following information: date of death; date of last admission; last serial status number in civil register; general reference number; name; age at death and at last onset of mental illness; whether private, service, criminal or rate aided; whether voluntary, temporary or certified; details of attack; duration of last attack; causes of death; aetiological factors; form of mental disorder; observations

6294/7/ POST MORTEM REGISTERS 1924-1943

6294/7/ FUNERAL REGISTER 1957-1962
For the register of funerals, 1949-1957, see 6275/1/4.

6294/7/ DESK DIARIES RECORDING PATIENT ADMISSIONS, MOVEMENTS, DEPARTURES AND DEATHS 1924-1970

6294/7/ PATIENTS RECORD CARDS 1966-1987
Provide the following information: name; general register number; date and place of birth; sex; marital status; occupation; local authority; date of admission; address; where transferred from; regrading status and date; age on admission; type of admission; source of referral; doctor; legal status on admission; previous psychiatric in-patient care, with dates; details of last previous psychiatric treatment; diagnosis; date of leaving/dying; mental category; nearest relative; National Insurance and pension numbers; details of medical certificates; address to which patient left; outcome and disposal (discharged/transferred/departed/died); date on leaving/dying; legal status on leaving; mental category; cause of death; whether post mortem carried out; date on leaving/dying; period of stay in hospital; IQ of subnormal and severely subnormal patients and their nursing category on leaving

6294/8/ STAFF 1924-1969

6294/8/ Registers 1924-1969

6294/8/ Character books 1924-1969
Provides the following information: name; age; date entered and left; references and previous experience; remarks (usually including home address)

6294/9/ PUBLICATIONS AND NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS 1972-1984

6294/9/ Publications of other hospitals 1983

Administrative / Biographical History

West Park Hospital was erected by London County Council during the years 1913-1924 and officially opened on 20 June 1924, fully opening in 1926 with provision made for 2096 patients and a South London catchment area. Its construction was part of an extensive capital programme to develop psychiatric services for London outside the metropolitan area. This programme saw the establishment of five large psychiatric and mental handicap hospitals on the Horton estate in Epsom. West Park was managed by the West Park Hospital Sub-Committee of the LCC's Mental Hospitals Committee and was transferred to the National Health Service in July 1948, when responsibility passed to its own Hospital Management Committee under the South West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board.

In the early 1960s the Minister of Health reorganised the hospitals with the amalgamation of management committees of hospitals caring for the mentally ill with general hospital management committees. As a result, the Epsom District and West Park Hospital Management Committees were merged to form the Epsom and West Park Group Hospital Management Committee in November 1969. A review of catchment areas undertaken at the same time led to West Park losing Lambeth and Southwark, and gaining Epsom. After 1974, this process of losing the London catchment areas continued with the last part of the old London catchment areas for which it was responsible being transferred to Springfield Hospital early in 1981. West Park's catchment area then became wholly that area covered by the Mid Surrey District.

Under the National Health Service Reorganisation Act, 1973, the hospital became the mental illness hospital for the Mid Surrey District within the Surrey Area Health Authority, one of the five areas within the South West Thames Regional Health Authority. The District was arranged into divisions, West Park falling within the Mental Illness Division. In 1975 the Department of Psychiatry at Epsom District Hospital opened, becoming part of the Mental Illness Division. With National Health Service reorganisation in 1982 the Surrey Area was abolished and the Mid Surrey Health Authority was formed, with West Park administered by the Mental Illness Management Team, responsible to the District Management Team. The management structure was again overhauled in 1985, West Park then forming part of the Mental Illness Unit. In April 1995 the hospital became part of the newly formed Surrey Heartlands NHS Trust.

Access Information

Records less than 30 years old are closed to public inspection. Staff records are closed for 75 years. Documents relating to named patients are closed for 100 years.

Acquisition Information

Deposited by the Librarian of the College of Nursing, West Park Hospital, in December 1994, and the Projects Manager, Surrey Heartlands NHS Trust, in March, April and November 1995.

Other Finding Aids

An item level description of the archive is available on the Surrey History Centre online catalogue

Related Material

For a plan of the hospital, c1924, see 3050/1. For papers relating to the demolition of West Park Chapel, including an inventory of contents, 1937 and 1987, see 6133/3/1. For the patients' funeral register, 1949-1957, see 6275/1/4. For staff registers of West Park Hospital, c.1946 - c1972, see 6280. For minutes of the Surrey Area Health Authority, 1973-1982, see 6197/1/-. The main deposit of records of the Mid Surrey Health Authority is held as 6301.

For an auction catalogue of hospital equipment, 1997, see 6289. For visitors books, records of the medical superintendent and house steward, admission, discharge and death records, staff records, photographs, publications, press cuttings and a small number of case files, c.1914-1970, see 6366. For admission and discharge records, plans and staff photograph, c.1915-1980, see 6380. For admission, post-mortem and doctor's visit registers, and building plans and architectural drawings, c.1920-1983, see 6423. For male and female alphabetical registers, 1924-1988, and a mortuary register, 1989-1996, see 7329. For extracts of resolutions of committee minutes, 1923-1939; staff employment records, 1956-1979; procedures and rules; patient maintenance accounts, 1938-1948; a visitor's report book, [1925]-1937, and photographic printing blocks, nd [20th cent], see 7604. For admission, discharge and death registers, patient property registers, a funeral register and notes on ward management, 1974-1994, see 7856 and 8610. For records relating to planning proposals and redevelopment, 2003, see 8424. For patient index cards, 1927-2004, see 8837. For panoramic staff photograph, 1928, see 9475.

The London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) holds the following records relating to West Park Hospital among the records of the King Edward's Hospital Fund: review by the Catering Advisory Service of ward kitchen facilities, Nov 1956, A/KE/716/115; report by the Catering Advisory Service planning ward kitchens, Jul 1957, A/KE/716/132; report by the Garden Advisors relating to Epsom Group Hospitals, 1959, A/KE/727/13; West Park Hospital Management Committee reports on hospital including replanning kitchens and correspondence relating to grants, 1954-1960, A/KE/736/41; Epsom Group Hospital Management Committee, visitors' reports, Apr 1960, Oct 1963 and Sep 1968, A/KE/738/18/1-3. The LMA also holds minutes of the London County Council Asylums Committee, later Mental Hospitals Committee, 1889, 1948, under the reference LCC/MIN/544-01268.

Geographical Names