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Accessing patient-identifying records

Please note: Access Direction 7 applies to NSW-operated mental health facilities and asylums for the poor/infirm and destitute, except Liverpool State Hospital.

Records more than 110 Years

Records more than 110 years old are Open to Public Access (OPA). You can access the records in the reading room.

Liverpool State Hospital

Patient records created by the Liverpool State Hospital and Home, 1890-1959, are Open to Public Access (OPA). This is an exception to the access direction.

Records less than 110 Years

Patient-identifying records - Closed to Public Access (CPA) for 110 years

NSW Ministry of Health has made an access direction that closes all patient identifying records for 110 years.

This direction includes all mental health facilities and asylums for the Infirm and Destitute run by the NSW Government, such as those listed in our catalogue under the name of the facility, and under the Government Asylums Branch (with the exception of Liverpool State Hospital).

How to obtain access to closed records

To obtain access to records created less than 110 years ago you will need to follow the three steps below: