Historical NHS patient records

With some minor exceptions The National Archives does not hold records of hospital patients. This guide provides general advice on what happens to National Health Service (NHS) patient records, where they are held and who can access them.

Medical records are highly confidential. You can normally access your own medical records, as can a person properly authorised by you. If you are seeking access to recent records of a former patient who has died, you may have some limited rights of access if you are their surviving personal representative, as defined under the terms of the Access to Health Records Act 1990. In both cases, you may be asked to provide appropriate identification.

For more information about current NHS organisations and policies relating to patient information, see the NHS website or the NHS Wales website.

How long are patient records kept for?

The great majority of local NHS records (other than GP patient records) are held by the NHS for a relatively short period of time, often no longer than eight years and very rarely longer than 30 years. Some records are held for longer and this usually depends on the kind of treatment and type of illness. You can find more details in the NHS Records Management Code of Practice. The Code of Practice permits some variations between NHS organisations. This information can usually be found on the policies or Freedom of Information sections of the hospital’s website.

Where to go for records and advice

Records from the last 20 years

If you are seeking access to records less than 20 years old, you should contact your GP or the data protection or patient information manager at the hospital, clinic or other NHS centre where the treatment took place.

If this is closed and the institution had no obvious successor body, the only alternative may be to contact the legacy records teams of NHS England or NHS Wales.

Records older than 20 years

A small proportion of records of local NHS bodies, including hospitals and clinics, are retained, for broadly historical purposes, under the Public Records Act 1958. These are usually held by local authority public archive services.

You can search our catalogue, which lists historical records held not just at The National Archives but at archives all over the UK, to find contact and collection details of local archives – search by county, city, town or other place name. It may also direct you to more detailed online catalogues maintained by the local archives themselves.

For most NHS institutions these records will not include individual patient files, but may include less detailed documents, such as admission and discharge registers. Material containing information about identifiable patients will not normally be accessible to the public for a period of 100 years except as noted above.

The vast majority of these historical records are available only in their original paper form – they are very unlikely to be available online or in any other digital form. If you are entitled to access them, you should be able to view them where they are held or ask for copies to be made and sent to you.

Records from closed hospitals and other NHS institutions

If the NHS organisation no longer exists, records are likely to have been transferred to a new NHS organisation performing similar functions in the area, which in turn may have transferred some records to a public archive service. This can be difficult to trace over time.

You may be able to find them by using data archived from the Hospital Records Database

This database had not been consistently updated since the 1990s and does not provide current information.

Where to go for birth, marriage and death certificates

Why use this guide?

Use this guide to find out where you can order birth, marriage or death certificates of British citizens in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Birth, marriage and death certificates are not kept at The National Archives and cannot be viewed or ordered here.

For other records relating to births, marriages and deaths read our research guidance.

Civil registration of births, marriages and deaths

This guide only covers births, marriages and deaths that happened since the beginning of civil registration in the United Kingdom. Civil registration is the system of recording the vital life events of a population by its government.

Civil registration began at different times in different parts of the United Kingdom, as follows:

  • England and Wales – civil registration began in 1837
  • Scotland – civil registration began in 1855
  • Northern Ireland – civil registration began in 1864

England and Wales 1837 to present

You can order certificates either from the General Register Office or from the relevant local register office.

The General Register Office keeps all certificates of births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales since 1837.

Scotland 1855 to present

You can order an official extract from the statutory registers held by the Registrar General for Scotland.

The Registrar General for Scotland keeps all statutory registers of births, marriages and deaths in Scotland since 1855.

Northern Ireland 1864 to present

You can order certificates from the General Register Office for Northern Ireland.

The General Register Office for Northern Ireland keeps all certificates of births, marriages and deaths in Northern Ireland since 1864, and all certificates of non-Roman Catholic marriages in Northern Ireland since 1845.

Births, marriages and deaths before civil registration

Before civil registration, births, marriages and deaths were recorded in local parish registers. For more details see our guides to birth, marriage and death records in England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland or the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

Electoral registration

The National Archives does not hold any complete collections of electoral registers. This guide will direct you to some of the archives and organisations that do hold historical electoral registers.

Electoral registers were introduced in 1832 and, with a few exceptions, have been produced annually ever since. If you know what area a person lives or lived in you may be able to find their address in an electoral register – though the property through which they qualified to vote is not always the same as their home address.

Where to go for records and advice

Births, marriages and deaths in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

This is a guide to finding records of births, marriages and deaths in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the United Kingdom and have their own currencies and legal systems, but are dependencies under the Crown. They come under the jurisdiction of the Registrar General of England and Wales for census but not civil registration purposes.

What do I need to know before I start?

Records of births, marriages and deaths in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are kept in various places but not at The National Archives.

Civil registration began at different times on each of the Channel Islands; Guernsey in 1840, Jersey in 1842, Alderney in 1850 and Sark in 1915. Registration began on the Isle of Man in 1849, but was not compulsory until 1878 (1884 for marriages).

Your search will be easier if you know:

  • the name of the person’s parents, spouse or next of kin, where applicable
  • the approximate date of the birth, marriage or death
  • the person’s religious denomination

Online records

There are no birth, marriage or death records for the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man available to see online.

Records available only at The National Archives in Kew

The National Archives does not hold any birth certificates or parish baptism records for the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Records in other archives and organisations

Channel Islands: Civil and parish registers

Visit the Priaulx Library for civil records for Guernsey from 1840, Alderney from 1850, and for parish registers for the Bailiwick of Guernsey (c1570-present), and the Jersey Heritage Research Centre for indexes to civil and parish registers for Jersey.

Isle of Man: Civil and parish registers

Visit the Manx National Heritage Library & Archive Service; search their catalogue for parish registers (c.1607–1878); or contact the Douglas Civil Registry Office for civil registers from 1878.

Alternatively, search the FamilySearch catalogue for microfilm copies of records for the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, which can be ordered for viewing at FamilySearch Centres worldwide.

Other resources

Websites

Search birth, marriage and death indexes for the Isle of Man up to 1979 at ManxBMD.com.

Search the FamilySearch website for Channel Islands births and baptisms 1820–1907; Isle of Man births and baptisms 1821–1911, marriages 1849–1911, deaths and burials 1844–1911 and parish registers 1598–1950.

Books

Visit the National Archives’ bookshop for a range of publications on birth, marriage and death records. Alternatively, look in The National Archives’ library catalogue to see what is available to consult at Kew.

Audrey Collins and David Annal, ‘Birth, marriage and death records’ (Pen and Sword, 2012)

Marie-Louise Backhurst, ‘Tracing your Channel Islands ancestors’ (Pen and Sword, 2011)

Living people

The National Archives does not hold records that will help you to trace a living person but this guide provides some brief advice on other institutions that may be able to help. The advice is not intended for tracing long-lost ancestors or people who were adopted.

Where to go for records and advice

There are many organisations that may be able to help you to trace somebody. Some are covered in this guide, but there are many others.

Birth and marriage records

Go to GOV.UK to find out where to search birth, marriage and death indexes.

Electoral registers

If you know what area a person lives or lived in you may be able to find their address in an electoral register.

Missing people websites

  • Go to look4them.org.uk, a joint website of eight of the main UK organisations involved in tracing people who are missing.
  • Go to cyndislist.com/finding.htm, a portal site with links to a large number of other sites around the world concerned with finding missing people.
  • Go to missing-you.net, a website for people searching for lost relatives, where you can also post messages.

Employment records

You could try employers’ records, as many companies have their own archives and may be willing to deal with enquiries.

Births, marriages and deaths in Scotland and Ireland

This guide contains advice on where and how to look for Scottish and Irish birth, marriage and death records. The majority of these records are with the respective general register office or national archive, though some are available online.

Birth, marriage and death certificates for Scotland or Ireland cannot be viewed or ordered at The National Archives.

Scottish records

Civil registration of births, marriages and deaths started in Scotland in 1855 and parish registers started around 1553.

Statutory registers and parish registers (1553–2009)

Search birth, marriage and death registers online at ScotlandsPeople. Many registers are available to view online and you can download images (£).

Births, baptisms and marriages (before 1880)

Search for a birth, baptism or marriage in Scotland on the FamilySearch website – this primarily covers events before 1880.

Birth, marriage and death certificates (from 1855)

Order an official extract from the registers from the National Records of Scotland (£).

Irish records

Many Irish records have not survived and people tracing their Irish ancestry may need to refer to local records and archives as well as national sources. Civil registration of births, marriages and deaths started in Ireland in 1864. Before this births were recorded in parish registers, many of which have been lost, destroyed, or are missing for other reasons.

Northern Irish birth, marriage and death registers and certificates

Search the General Register Office Northern Ireland for births more than 100 years old, marriages 75 more than years old and deaths more than 50 years old. Searches are free but there is a charge to view results. If you find an entry in the registers you can order a certificate.

Indexes to and registers of civil records of births, marriages and deaths (mid-19th to mid-20th centuries) in Ireland

Use the irishgenealogy.ie website to search for online copies of indexes to civil records of births (1864–1916), marriages (1845–1941) and deaths (1864–1966) and of the registers of births (1864–1916), marriages (1870–1941) and deaths (1878–1966).

Search the index of Ireland civil registration for births and deaths from 1864 to 1958 and marriages from 1845 to 1958 and various other records from 1619 to 1898 on the FamilySearch website.

Birth, marriage and death certificates (from 1864) for Ireland

Contact the General Register Office of Ireland and the General Register Office for Northern Ireland to obtain copies of birth, marriage and death certificates.

Transcriptions of birth, marriage and death records

Search transcriptions of birth, marriage, and death records on the Irish Family History Foundation’s Online Record Search System (£).

Further reading

Visit the National Archives’ bookshop for a range of publications on birth, marriage and death records.

The following publications are available at the The National Archives’ Library.

John Grenham, ‘Tracing your Irish ancestors’ 4th edition (Gill & MacMillan, 2012)

Bruce Durie, ‘Scottish genealogy’ (The History Press, 2009)

Adoptions

The National Archives does not hold records of adoptions but this guide will point you towards some of the organisations that do. There are no adoption records, registers or indexes available to see online.

Formal adoption, as we now know it, did not exist in England and Wales until 1927. Before then, adoptions were usually informal. In a few cases there was some legal documentation, but no central register.

Where to go for records and advice

Consult the General Register Office for information about tracing a birth record if you were adopted in England or Wales and for advice on how to add yourself to the Adoption Contact Register.

Consult the National Records of Scotland for information about adoption in Scotland.

Consult the General Register Office for Northern Ireland for information about adoption in Northern Ireland.

For adoptions before 30 December 2005 see the Adoption Search Reunion website, which provides information for adopted people, birth relatives and adoptive parents in England and Wales.

Consult the CoramBAAF website and their advice for adults who were adopted or in care. CoramBAAF is the successor organisation to the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF).

Births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales

This is a brief guide to help you with your research. Records of births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales are kept in various places, but not usually at The National Archives. This guide will help you to find out where else you can look.

What do I need to know before I start?

Birth, marriage and death certificates cannot be viewed or ordered at The National Archives.

All certificates of births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales since 1 July 1837 are obtained from the General Register Office (GRO), see their guide to ordering and paying for civil registration records for information on what records are available.

If you are tracing a birth, marriage or death before 1 July 1837, look for parish registers in local archives.

A search for a certificate will be easier if you know the district where the event is likely to have taken place.

Online records

Indexes to birth, marriage and death registrations (1837 to 2007)

Search birth, marriage and death indexes on freebmd.org.uk. Some commercial websites (£) also have the indexes such as Findmypast and Ancestry. Some websites have more recent indexes than others.

For more information on the indexes see the General Register Office family history page on GOV.UK.

Non-conformist registers (primarily before 1837)

Registers of non-conformist births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials are held by The National Archives in record series RG4–RG8 and are available online.

Search BMDregisters (£) for records of:

  • non-conformist and other non-parochial births and baptisms, deaths and burials, and some marriages for the 17th to 19th centuries (RG4, RG5, RG8)
  • clandestine (irregular) marriages up to 1754 (RG 7)
  • Quaker (or Religious Society of Friends) births, marriages and deaths up to 1837 (RG 6)

Note the BMD registers ‘advanced search’ option and ‘RG Books’ tab which will help you to search more specifically.

The non-conformist (RG4, RG5, RG 8), clandestine (RG7) and Quaker (RG6) registers are also available on Ancestry (£) where they can be searched or browsed using the ‘browse this collection’ option on the right hand side of the search page. This allows you to browse by series, place or denomination.

As most non-conformists were obliged to marry in the Church of England between 1754 and 1837, it is possible to find records of their marriages in Church of England parish registers (see below).

Selected church marriage registers (1837–c.1920)

View some church marriage registers from 1837 up to the 1920s on Ancestry (£) and Findmypast (£).

Brompton Cemetery records

Burial records for Brompton Cemetery can searched and viewed for free on the Royal Parks’ Brompton Cemetery database.

The National Archives is the official place of deposit for records of the Royal Parks, including Brompton Cemetery. Original burial registers can be found in the series WORK 97.

Records in other archives and organisations

Birth, marriage and death certificates (1837 to present)

Order birth, marriage or death certificates either from the General Register Office (£), or from the relevant local register office (£).

Indexes to birth, marriage and death registrations (1837 to present)

Use the GOV.UK website to find out which libraries, archives and record offices keep birth, marriage and death indexes on microfiche.

Parish registers (before 1837)

Find the parish register in a local archive to locate baptism, marriage and burial records before 1837.

You can look up the parish using English jurisdications 1851 on the FamilySearch website, or in The Phillimore Atlas and Index of Parish Registers, 3rd edition, edited by Cecil R Humphery-Smith (Phillimore, 2003).

Other resources

Websites

Search for birth, baptism, marriage and some burial records on the FamilySearch website. Geographical coverage is patchy but the index provides a useful pointer to relevant parish registers.

Search for birth, baptism, marriage and burial records on Ancestry (£) findmypast (£) and Deceased Online (£).

Books

Visit The National Archives’ shop for a range of publications on birth, marriage and death records. Alternatively, look in The National Archives’ Library catalogue to see what is available to consult at Kew.

David Annal and Audrey Collins, ‘Birth, marriage and death records: a guide for family historians’ (Pen & Sword, 2012)

Houses

To piece together the complete history of a house you will almost certainly need to contact and probably visit a variety of archives. The National Archives is not usually the best place to start unless you are only interested in who the occupants were in the very specific years for which we happen to have records (most significantly the census years, every ten years from 1841 to 1921; the Valuation Office Survey years from 1910 to 1915; and the year of the 1939 Register). This guide provides some suggestions for where else you can go to find records and what kind of information you might find.

Where to start

The best place to try searching for the history of the ownership and construction of a house is the local archive for the area in which the house is located. This might be a local borough, city or county archive or a local studies centre or library. Typically these archives hold local maps, electoral registers and family and estate papers, all of which can be useful when tracing the history of a house.

To find a local archive, search by place name on our Find an archive page.

Building plans (mid-19th century onwards)

Many local archives have collections of building plans from the mid-19th century providing evidence of how buildings might have looked when new.

Title deeds

Title deeds can help you trace the owners and occupiers of your house but there is no legal obligation to hold evidence of title for more than 30 years (The Law of Property Act, 1925) so deeds older than this may not have survived. If the title deeds to your house are not in your possession, you should contact one or all of the following to see if they hold evidence of title:

  • HM Land Registry
  • your solicitor
  • your mortgage company
  • a repository where a solicitor’s collection may have been deposited
  • family or estate papers

Our online records

Our own online records can help you to establish who the occupants of a house were on a specific date in a census year or on 29 September 1939 but will reveal little else about the history of a house.

1939 Register

The 1939 Register was taken on 29 September 1939. The information was used to produce identity cards and issue ration books. It was designed to capture the details of every member of the civilian population.

You can search the Register by address and you may be able to establish who lived at that address at the time the Register was taken. The Register is available to search and view on our partner sites Findmypast.co.uk (£) and Ancestry.co.uk (£).

For more details see our 1939 Register guide.

Census records, 1841–1921

Search by address on the census to find out who was living there. Where an address search is not available, browse the census street indexes on Your Archives (now only available in our web archive) to find the relevant document reference and search the relevant census website with that reference.

1871 Census maps

Search and download (£) digital versions of the original Registration District maps from the 1871 census on the Cassini Maps website.

Records available only at The National Archives in Kew

To access these records you will either need to visit us, pay for research (£) or, where you can identify a specific record reference, order a copy (£).

Valuation Office Survey records, 1910–1915

Between 1910 and 1915 the Inland Revenue’s newly created Valuation Office carried out a survey to determine the value of land for tax purposes. The records created in the work of the survey can reveal a property’s:

  • value
  • use (whether as residential accommodation, commercial use or some other use)
  • extent (the area covered by the property, the number of rooms and even, sometimes, how the rooms were used)
  • owners and occupiers
  • tenancy details

The two main types of record created by the survey were ‘field books’ and ‘index maps’. You will need to use the maps to get to the field books. Consult our guide to records of the Valuation Office survey for advice on how to do this.

Working copies of the Valuation Office survey are often kept in local archives.

Tithe maps and apportionments from 1836

Tithe maps and apportionments establish whether a property existed at the time and provide clues about property ownership and occupancy but do not contain details about the property itself.

Use the search box below to search our catalogue by place name for document references to tithe maps (IR30) and apportionments (IR 29).

See our Tithes guide for more detailed advice.

Books

All of the recommended publications below are available at The National Archives’ Library. You can also visit the National Archives’ bookshop for a range of publications on the history of your house.

Tracing History Through Title Deeds by Nat Alcock (Pen and Sword, 2017)

Tracing the History of Your House by Nick Barratt (The National Archives, 2006)

Tracing your house history: A guide for family historians by Gill Blanchard (Pen and Sword, 2013)

Maps for Family and Local History: the Records of the Tithe, Valuation Office Survey and National Farm Surveys of England and Wales, 1836–1943 by Geraldine Beech and Rose Mitchell (The National Archives, 2003)

Sources for the History of Houses by John H Harvey (British Records Association, 1974)

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