Hospital Records (HOSPREC) Database

The Hospital Records (HOSPREC) Database was the result of a collaborative project between the Wellcome Library and The National Archives to bring together information about the existence and location of the records of UK hospitals.

This information includes:

  • the administrative details of the hospitals, and their status or type
  • the location and covering dates of administrative and clinical records
  • the existence of lists, catalogues or other finding aids
  • links to some online hospital catalogues in The National Archives’ Discovery database.

Please note: this dataset has not been updated since 2012 (with many fields last updated before this date). Please double check The National Archives’ Discovery database to confirm the current location of records and again with the repository before attempting to access the records.

Records may also be subject to closure periods – for example, access is not usually granted to the records of individual patients less than 100 years old, except via a doctor or social worker.

How to access the database

The original search engine is no longer working. To search the database, please go to data.gov.uk and download the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Read the information on the ‘About this data’ tab, then click on the ‘Hospital – Union Catalogue’ tab and use the search function (ctrl+F or Command+F) to find the information you are looking for.

Further queries

If you require further advice on the content of the Hospital Records Database, please email Archives Sector Leadership with ‘HOSPREC’ in the subject line.