VPRS 8827 Psychiatric Services Hospital Administration Files (Head Office)

Full description

This series contains some of the records created by the central agencies responsible for the administration of Victoria's psychiatric hospitals and mental health clinics under the Mental Hygiene Act 1958 (No.6314), the Mental Health Act 1959 (No.6605), and the Mental Deficiency Act 1958 (No.6313) between 1983 and 1993.

The file registration system used was numerical with a three-letter prefix. The files were arranged in alphanumeric order. The alphanumeric identifier was comprised of a three-letter abbreviation to indicate the name of the institution, and a number to indicate the subject of the file. The letters and numbers were taken from authorised lists. For example, the file for Aradale Hospital (Ararat) on the subject of Fire Damage Reports & Procedures was ARA/6, and the file on the same subject for Lakeside Hospital (Ballarat) was BLT/6. Lists of the hospital prefixes and set file headings follow this registration.

The authorised list of subject headings chosen reflected activities common to all hospitals.

The files were registered on VPRS 8826 Electronic File Register and Index (Computer Output Indexes to VPRS 8827 and VPRS 8828). Occasionally, files were raised for specific hospitals on specific headings other than those authorised. Numbers between 24 and 39 were used for this purpose. The list of authorised headings was expanded during the life of the record-keeping system. The numbers from 40 to 45 were used for new issues that applied to nearly all hospitals. A restricted set of the authorised headings was used for mental health clinics.

Previous Series

Until 1983, correspondence relating to the administration of psychiatric hospitals and clinics was included in VPRS 6344 General Correspondence Files (Mental Health).

Subsequent Series

In 1993 the administration of psychiatric hospitals and clinics was delegated to various regions in Victoria. The Office of Psychiatric Services closed files that were no longer used. It is these files that have been transferred to the Public Record Office in the P1 consignment. The remainder of the files were transferred to the regions for ongoing use.

Set File Headings


1 Policy

2 Audit Reports

3 Works & Services Program

4 Thefts

5 Health Inspections

6 Fire Damage Reports & Procedures

7 Overtime

8 Residences

9 Visits by Head Office Staff

10 Official Visits & Visitors

11 Motor Vehicles

12 Finance

13 Office Machines

14 Pharmaceutical Services & Staffing

15 Social Work Services & Staffing

16 Laundry Services & Staffing

17 Catering Services & Staffing
18 Occupational Therapy Services & Staffing

19 Administrative Staffing

20 Nurse Staffing

21 Medical Staffing

22 Artisan & Other Staffing

23 Psychologists Services & Staffing

* * * * *

40 Payroll Budget

41 Health Service Agreements

42 OPS Meetings with Hospital Executive

43 Internal & External Disaster Plans

44 Management Information System

45 Industrial Disputes.