Visiting Us & Facilities
NHS Grampian Archives usual appointment hours are:
- Monday - Friday: 10am - 4pm
Access to the records is by appointment with the NHS Grampian Archivist, and records are viewed in the Wolfson Reading Room in the University of Aberdeen's Special Collections Centre, which is located in the Sir Duncan Rice Library on Bedford Road, Aberdeen. In order to visit, photographic ID and proof of address is required in order to register for an access card.
Please note that access to some of the records may be restricted under the Data Protection Act (2018), and that some records are held offsite.
It is advised that visitors contact Fiona Musk, NHS Grampian Archivist, by emailing gram.archives@nhs.scot prior to your visit to ensure that records are available. This is especially recommended if you are travelling from a long distance, or have limited visiting time.
Please note that if the NHS Grampian Archivist is not available during the above opening hours, there is no access to the NHS collections.
ACCESSING RECORDS - DECEASED INDIVIDUALS
Records of a deceased individual are closed for 75 years (100 years if relating to a minor).
If an individual is deceased, you must provide proof of their death (for example, a copy of their death certificate).
You must complete a Third Party Access Request form, and return with proof of the individual's death to the NHS Grampian Archivist. Upon receipt of this, an application can then be made to NHS Grampian's Information Governance Manager who will decide if records can be accessed.
Please contact the NHS Grampian Archivist for a copy of these forms. Please note that proof of a person's death may also be requested if it is unclear whether the information requested is within either 75 or 100 years. If it cannot be proven that an individual is deceased, the records will remain closed under the UK Data Protection Act (2018).
ACCESSING RECORDS - LIVING INDIVIDUALS (INCLUDING YOU)
Please note that NHS Grampian Archives do not have access to current medical records. If you are wanting to access these, please contact NHS Grampian's Information Governance team.
If you are wanting to access another person's records, this can only be done with their permission. Please complete a Third Party Access Request form, which must also be signed by the person you are enquiring about. If their permission cannot be granted, records will remain closed for 100 years under the Data Protection Act (2018).
ACCESSING RECORDS - RESEARCH PURPOSES
If you are undertaking a study into historic health records, you may be able to access records which are normally closed depending on your area of research. You must fulfill certain conditions, and agree to abide by Data Protection laws, including not publishing information which may allow for the identification of individuals.
Please contact the NHS Grampian Archivist, and complete the Access to Historic Records for Research Purposes form.