Death certificate books - Northfield Mental Hospital, later Hillcrest Hospital (GRS/16001)

This series contains books titled 'Death Certificates' from Northfield Mental Hospital, known as Hillcrest Hospital from 1964.

The books are stubs from certificates issued by the Hospital following a patient's death. The certificates were mostly removed, although some were kept in the book if the case was referred to the Coroner. It appears that the Coroner issued the Death Certificate in these cases, not the Hospital. Death Certificates appear to have been given to the undertaker.

Information recorded on the stubs includes: patient's full name, age, date admitted, date of death, cause of death, and whether a female patient died within three months of giving birth. In most cases, the cause of death is listed under 'disease or condition directly leading to death' and an approximate interval between onset and death was recorded. Antecedent causes include other medical or mental health issues. Each stub is signed by a legally qualified medical practitioner and the undertaker. The patient's ward was not recorded, although it is possible individual wards were recorded separately because there are overlapping dates.

There are some loose notes throughout that record permission for funeral directors or undertakers to remove bodies for the purpose of internment, and requests by the funeral directors for death certificates.

A note recorded on the front cover of one book states "This book will be obsolete as from 1/1/68", indicating the issuing of death certificates at the Hospital changed after this date.

Arranged chronologically by date of death.