The collection spans from its inception in 1854 to the present day and includes records relating to governance, administration, estate, financial, fundraising, medical and research. There is a wide variety of types of records include committee minutes, correspondence, admission case books, domestic ledgers, reports, fundraising pamphlets and audio-visual material and photographs.
Reports and publications relating to research undertaken by the hospital's research department along with conference and seminar papers produced by the Department including research relating to the SMART assessment for patients with disorders of consciousness.
Various publications produced by the hospital and collected publications relating to the history of the hospital and works of literature previously part of the patient's library. Publications produced by the hospital include internal magazines, newsletters and brochures and leaflets relating to hospital services for patients and their families.
This series contains photographic images, negatives and mounted slides. Photographic material, c.1906-present, contain images of the building and grounds, staff and patients, publicity images of services, events and VIP visits.
Oral history interviews on the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the hospital. The interviews were conducted as part of the National Lottery Heritage Project, Preserving and sharing the historic archives of the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability that ran at the hospital from December 2019 to November 2021. The interviews were conducted remotely due to Covid-19 social distancing regulations at the hospital and were conducted by Chris Olver, RHN Archivist, and staff members at the hospital.
Administrative and financial records relating to John Howard's Convalescent Home, a holiday home for people with complicated physical disabilities established in 1914 by Sir John Howard (c.1830-1917), entrepreneur and railway owner. The home seemed to operate from 1914 to 1947 before being nationalised as part of the new National Health Service. Not much is known about the subsequent twenty years but in 1974 it was taken over by the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability. The Hospital renovated the premises and the hospital acted as a holiday home and a place for long-term residents. In March 1996, the Hospital closed the Home citing that it had become uneconomical to run and required costly renovation to meet suitable modern standards.
The collection includes admission books, medical reports and accounts for the home dating from 1914-1962.
Papers relating to the hospital's finances including minutes of the finance committee, papers relating to legacies and bequests and changes in accountancy procedures.
Meeting minutes, reports, leaflets and seminar programmes relating to the Development Trust of the Young Disabled (later Living Again Trust and then The Neuro-disability Trust), a charity set up to support medical research, clinical engineering and development work carried out at the Royal Hospital. The charity was established in 1974 and dissolved in 2013.
Variety of clinical records including meeting minutes and reports for various committees such as the Matron's report to the House Committee, records of the Chief Medical Officer and minutes of the Medical Committee; medical case notes of in-patients, c.1900-1945; papers relating to ward management including minutes of patient committee; papers relating to nurse training and teaching at the hospital, including records of the Nursing School, 1955-1975, and records from various clinical departments including dentistry and wheelchair department.
Various reel to reel films, videocassettes and sound recordings, along with selected digitised copies of films relating to the hospital. These include promotional television appeals for the charity; events and visits from the Royal family, such as the Queen Elizabeth's visit to open Chatsworth Wing, 1978; clinical films showing patients undertake rehabilitative and leisure activities such as hydrotherapy and horseriding, and also recordings of radio shows which featured the Hospital.
Various artefacts relating to the history of the hospital and the West Lodge estate, Putney Heath. These can be broadly categorized as the following: house features and signs, including sample of 18th century clay flooring, marble colonnades and early twentieth century light switch; household utensils, such as engraved spoons; medical equipment, assistive technology and early wheelchair; branded lapel badges showing the change of names of the hospital and finally decorative gifts recieved by the hospital, including ornate cups and medals.
Various papers relating to administration of the hospital, which have been broadly categorised into the following sections: papers relating to governance and establishment of the charity, including constitution, minutes of various executive boards, papers relating to the Royal charter, papers relating to special committees and correspondence to the Board, including letters from Florence Nightingale; records of hospital admissions and patient voting system, including patient case book and list of subscribers to the charity; estate and staff records; records relating to the Chaplaincy and religious services at the hospital and visitor books.
Insurance valuation sheets relating to property held by the Hospital. Items listed relate to longcase clocks at the hospital from 18th-19th century. Estimates carried out by Camerer Cuss & Co.