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Looking For Hospital/medical Records.

Snowball

master brummie
My uncle suffered a head trauma in his early years and spent most of his life in institutions as a consequence. He was born in 1909 and we last had any news of him in the late 1960's. I want to find out where he was cared for and, naturally, what happened to him. Can anyone assist with the name(s) of the people I should try contacting. I've tried the NHS Information Centre several times and they are simply not interested in helping at all. Would appreciate any advice. Snowball.
 
It would be very difficult, do you have anything else to go on, all hospital records would have been destroyed 8 years after his death or 25 years after if he was hospitalised under the Mental Health Act. https://bma.org.uk/practical-support-at-work/ethics/retention-of-health-records so not much chance finding them.
Hospitals would have had a register of patients, many of these registers are retained by The National Archive, but you would still need more information (hospital/dates) on which to base a search there.

Colin
 
Thank you for your comments Colin. My uncle was injured as a child when while playing with other children he fell out of a wheelbarrow in which he was being given a ride. He suffered a serious head injury and due to the families impoverished circumstances he did not receive any significant medical treatment. During his early life, guess about mid to late 30's he was institutionalised, I think he was sometimes allowed out to visit his family or for special occasions. Family folk lore claims that he was "loaned" out to a local farmer or farmers to help offset the costs to the institution. The family never saw any of these "wages" if they existed. On one occasion he walked out of the institution and made his way home without any help or money, the family took him back after a short stay. His brother would sometimes go to the institution and collect him for a home visit, this activity was ongoing until about mid to late 60's. My uncle again walked out of the institution in about late 60's and never made it home, the institution thought he would either turn up at his home address or would come back to the institution of his own accord but he never did. From that day on we have absolutely no idea of what happened to him, did he meet with foul play ?. Since he was born in 1909 the chances of him still being alive are virtually zero, but, he is still a relative and the thought that he was probably buried in an unmarked grave is very troublesome. He was born and lived in the Aston area if that helps ? Any further suggestions ? anyone ?. Regards, Snowball.
 
Any idea where he waas incarcerated Snowball, in Birmingham or elsewhere? That could give you a clue to the institutions in the area and National Archives may turn up in patient lists as Colin says.
Sue
 
Thank you Sue. I'm 99% certain that it must have been in the Birmingham area. I say that because the family thought he must have walked home from his first "escape" from the institution where he stayed since he didn't have any money for the bus, he never understood the concept of money so he was never able to simply go to a corner shop and buy things such as a newspaper, or pay for his fare on a bus etc. In later life his younger brother would take him out for the day and since his brother never had a car or much money either then the institution or home must have been in or close to Birmingham. Since my uncle was "in care" for most of his life he may not have always been in the same institution. Regards Snowball.
 
Update on the above story. I have now found from the 1939 census that my uncle was listed as a patient in Coleshill Hall Mental Deficiency Institution. He was definitely there in 1939. Has anyone any clues on how to proceed with finding any records that might relate to his time there, or what happened to him after 1939 ?
 
I applied for my medical records which is payable, but found them not very good. I know I had been in hospital when I was younger, but all I had was mainly my pregnancy records. When I queried where was all the other information, they said over time paperwork passed between different surgeries when moving house had probably got lost whereas today everything is entered on line.
 
Thank you very much for taking the time to reply Carolina. Can you tell me who you applied to for your records. I have tried several times contacting the NHS both by email and my letter but they are very disinterested, in fact downright rude would be a better description. It makes it difficult from 12,000 miles away to get any co.operation from some of these people.
 
Snowball, is this any help. https://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/access-to-medical-or-health-records-of-someone-who-has-died.aspx It may be different for me as I was able to go to my own Doctors for help. You could also try https://www.bsmhft.nhs.uk/ as this is what I think the Coleshill one would now be under. Good luck.

Thank you once more for your suggestions Carolina, I am currently drafting letters to both of the NHS departments that are referenced in the sites you mentioned. I hope to have more luck with this enquiry than in my last few efforts. Once again, thank you for your assistance.
 
Hey there I know this is a little late however I recently before lockdown applied for my Grandmother's Coleshill Hall records from 1947 and was sent them by the Warwickshire Records Office. I had to provide my Grandmother's death certificate and it cost me £30 for them to conduct the search and print and send me the information in the post. They were very helpful.
 
My uncle suffered a head trauma in his early years and spent most of his life in institutions as a consequence. He was born in 1909 and we last had any news of him in the late 1960's. I want to find out where he was cared for and, naturally, what happened to him. Can anyone assist with the name(s) of the people I should try contacting. I've tried the NHS Information Centre several times and they are simply not interested in helping at all. Would appreciate any advice. Snowball.
 
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