Theatre Registers

Full description

System of Arrangement/Control

Series : Volumes arranged sequentially primarily by theatre number and secondarily by book number relative to each theatre. Date range of contents is also marked on volumes' spines. There is no theatre number 13.

Contents : Chronological by date of operation.

Range of Control Symbols

Series : 1st sequence: Theatre 1, book 1 to Theatre 9, book 62;
2nd sequence: Theatre 1, book 1 to Theatre 15, book 39.

Series in Custody : 1st sequence: Theatre 1, book 32 to Theatre 9, book 62;
2nd sequence: Theatre 1, book 1 to Theatre 15, book 39.

The purpose of this register is to list in date and time order each operation carried out in a hospital's operating theatre.

Information recorded includes date and time of procedure, patient's name, record number, sex, age, diagnosis and operation performed, names of surgeon, assisting surgeon, anaesthetist, anaesthetic administered, unfavourable indications for anaesthetic or any other complications, special measures or procedures, and theatre sister's name.

Alfred Hospitals Theatre Registers

This series is arranged by theatre number between 1 and 15 (there is no theatre 13) and by book number relative to that theatre. The book numbers recommence (for theatres 1 to 9) and commence (for theatre 10 to 15) at number 1 from c.March 1979. For each theatre there are a number of volumes missing from 1979 to c.1981.

The pages in the books are numbered in a continuing sequence which was imposed at the time of printing and continues from one book to the next. The books were, however, not issued in an order which makes the sequence continuos for any one theatre.

The pages were originally divided vertically by perforations which enabled the right hand sections to be torn off. This section, bearing the same reference number as the remainder of the page, is a working document which records information relating to infection and is known as the infection control slip.

The information is completed in triplicate, the original remaining in the register and the copies distributed, one accompanying the infection control slip and the other going to the anaesthetic department. Both copies are used in the billing process while information from the infection control copy is entered in a Wounds Register.

This series is not directly controlled by another record but may be accessed by obtaining the date of operation and theatre number.

These records are identified as permanent under section 3.10.0 of the General Disposal Schedule for Public Hospital patient Information Records, PROS 85/09. Under the previous disposal schedule theatre registers were not accorded permanent status and consequently the theatre registers for the period prior to 1977 have been destroyed. It is therefore difficult to ascertain the commencement date for the series but the registers destroyed included registers from c1972 to 1977.

Preservation Statement

The records in this series are in good condition. The volumes are approximately foolscap sized with paper covered strawboard covers and cloth covered spines. The pages within volumes are approximately 3/4 foolscap sized with 1/4 lengthwise of each page having been removed. The pages are the original of a triplicate system, the two copies having also been removed from the volumes.

The volumes have been processed into A1 boxes lying lengthwise in the boxes with spines facing upwords.