Re-launching HOSPREC, the Hospital Records database

Uses and testimonies

To show the relevance of HOSPREC, we talked to colleagues who were involved in its creation or used it extensively. Below, we share why they think this database has been important for their work and how it can be used.

Lesley A. Hall, former Senior Archivist at Wellcome Library

Lesley A. Hall was a part of the team who initiated HOSPREC in 1979. When we talked to her, she shared the following reflections on HOSPREC:

HOSPREC, in our vision, had important applications for both researchers and archivists.

For researchers, it provided a means of locating records of specific hospitals through the online interface, using simple searches by hospital name or by town. These searches were linked to current contact details of the relevant repository. It also enabled the identification of particular types of hospitals or hospital records for historical, epidemiological (disease), or demographic research.

The intention was that this functionality would eventually be available through the public interface. In the meantime, staff in Archives and Manuscripts at the Wellcome Library were prepared to carry out criteria-based searches on the working database. We could also provide a summary hit list from which further details could be obtained through the online version.

For archivists, HOSPREC served as a tool to identify where the surviving records of a hospital were held, allowing any stray records that surfaced to be reunited with the existing collection. It also assisted in decision-making about whether to accept records from a particular hospital, or in establishing selection criteria for such records.

Laura Robson-Manwaring, Principal Records Specialist (Medical Records), The National Archives

Health records held by The National Archives are wide-ranging and document many aspects of the development of health policy in Britain. They illustrate how successive governments sought to address social and public health issues, with most records focusing on high-level policy and administration.

While The National Archives holds some distinct collections that contain references to individual staff members or patients, they often appear only incidentally within broader case files.

The HOSPREC database helps researchers identify potentially name-rich collections, as well as records that can provide insight into the local history of hospitals and healthcare institutions. It is a valuable tool for exploring the histories of hospitals, medical practitioners, healthcare professionals, and patient experiences.

The database can support:

• Tracing records relating to an ancestor, family member, or former patient
• Researching a medical practitioner, nurse, or other healthcare professional
• Identifying relevant hospital records for local, community, or family history projects
• Locating sources for institutional, academic, or independent historical research
• Exploring the history and development of hospitals and other healthcare institutions

Kate Jarman, Trust Archivist, Barts Health NHS Trust

The HOSPREC database has obvious value in finding where the records of a hospital may be found. It is also the only public resource for identifying which NHS administrative districts a hospital fell under. While this may sound like a niche area of interest, this information can open up a whole range of new research avenues for researchers. This is especially true for researchers interested in the management and running of a particular hospital since 1948.

Through multiple reorganisations over the last eight decades, a single hospital may have been under the management of five or more different NHS bodies. This could have ranged from Hospital Management Committees through District Health Authorities to Trusts, many of which have themselves merged or changed their name. Understanding this complex and ever-changing landscape of hospital management is key to finding relevant records.

Prior to the creation of the NHS, much of the administrative business of hospital management took place at hospital level, through governing boards and house committees. The records of these hospitals are usually found (where they survive) within the main archive collection for the relevant hospital.

From 1948 onwards, many key decisions regarding the strategic and financial management of hospitals took place at the level of regional, area or district managing bodies. If you are researching a particular hospital, it is therefore important to be able to identify the relevant managing authority. It can also be helpful to understand the changing models of management.

This can support researchers in finding relevant records for the managing authority of the time, if they survive. To give an example, Barts Health NHS Trust collections include material relating to how Windrush-era recruitment was implemented at specific hospitals.

From locating repositories to research opportunities

As these testimonies demonstrate, HOSPREC is a unique resource with the potential to support both archival practice and historical research.

With almost 3,000 entries covering both historical and contemporary hospitals, the database serves as a vital guide through the fragmented landscape of hospital administrative records. At the same time, it offers a valuable snapshot of the transformation of public health services throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Beyond its original purpose as a records-location tool, HOSPREC holds considerable potential as a research dataset in its own right. The information it contains could be used to trace the evolution of hospitals across the country, supporting new research into the administration and organisation of public health services. It could also support digital humanities projects focused on mapping hospitals and repositories.

Additionally, its data can be used to enrich existing datasets by linking hospitals to related sources such as records of medical staff, patients, or healthcare institutions. Such connections have the potential to open new avenues for historical enquiry and create opportunities for local engagement and community-led research.

These examples represent only some of the many possible applications of this invaluable resource. We hope that HOSPREC will support and inspire a wide range of research projects, helping users to discover, connect, and interpret the history of healthcare in new ways.