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Please note that files will need to be checked to determine if they contain information on individual patients or departmental staff. As such, researchers should note that there may be some delays in accessing specific files.
Access restrictions on these records series vary between the accessions constituting the series. Some records are restricted for reasons of personal privacy. The restrictions are:

1. W2952: Records are restricted for 70 years from the date of file closure as they contain personal information about staff or patients.
2. W4672: Records containing staff or patient personal information are restricted without prior approval. All files are restricted for 25 years from date of file closure.

3. W4966 and W4553: All records are restricted for 10 years from date of file closure.

4. W2970, W3018 and W3463: All records are restricted for 25 years from date of file closure.

5. W3464 and W3563: No restrictions apply.

6. W2883, W2969, W4415, W4550 and W4452: All files are restricted for 10 years from date of file closure. Other restrictions vary according to file sub-series, these are outlined below.  In addition:

Note:  Some 170/- files (medical practitioners) from W4415 are restricted 100 years from date of file closure for reasons of personal privacy, as they contain information on individual staff and patients.

Note: Some files in W2883 and W4452 have been given the restriction status 'restrictions may apply'.  They remain restricted as they have not yet been checked to determine if they contain information on individual staff or patients.

A) Sub-series - 4, 11, 13/10, 13/82/-, 25, 30, 35/12/-, 35/40/-, 35/41/-, 35/50/-, 35/65/-, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 56/53/2, 106/13, 140/15/3, 156/9, 156/12, 165/2/1, 165/5, 170/12/-, 179/14, 194/26, 195/36/-, 246/41/6/-, 335, 355, 377 plus all /13 files of the following - 55, 56, 58, 60, 61, 62, 64, 69, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 79, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 91, 92, 93 are restricted for 50 years.

B) Sub-series 43/- files on Ngawhatu Hospital are restricted for 50 years. 43/- files on National Health Statistics are restricted for 10 years, except for 43/31, 43/33/200-400 and 43/35 which are restricted for 50 years.
C) Sub-series 334/- files on Student Training and 334/3 files on Overseas Training are restricted for 50 years.
D) Files 131/199/-; 178; 181/17/-; 185 and 193/1/1 are restricted for 25 years.
E) 171/1/- files are restricted for 75 years.
F) 53/45/41, 53/45/49 and 195/35/- files are restricted for 70 years.
G) 195/9/- and 195/28/- files are restricted for 100 years. In addition the file lists for these records are restricted.
H) Files 10/14; 167/3/3/ - are restricted for 100 years. Also public view of file 167/3/3/3 (W4452) is restricted for 100 years.
I) International Health (IH) [Personal] files are restricted for 70 years.
J) Files 156/18/3 are restricted for 30 years from date of file closure due to commercial sensitivity and confidentiality reasons. (AA977)
Note: Some files in W2883 and W4452 have been given the restriction status 'restrictions may apply' until their access status is clarified.
7. W4914: Files are open except: The restrictions outlined above that apply to W4415, W4550 and W4452, also apply to W4914.
8. W4511: All files are restricted for 10 years from date of file closure except :
181/48, 181/87, 181/237/-, and 181/241 which are restricted for 25 years.

9. W4622: All files are restricted for 10 years from date of file closure except :
A) 131/45/45/6, 156/12/2/1, 170/12/367 - restricted for 50 years.
B) 195/9/887 - restricted for 100 years. In addition the file list for the record is restricted for the same period.

10. W5148: All files restricted for 80 years from date of file closure.
11. W5618: No restrictions

12. W5528: No restrictions

13. W6028: General correspondence pertaining to the Medicines Classification Committee (156/18/3) from the former Department of Health is restricted for 30 years from date of file closure due to commercial sensitivity and confidentiality reasons. (AA977)
 

This series was the main recordkeeping system used by the Department of Health throughout the agency's lifespan. The series documents all of the department's major functions and activities. A few files pre-date and post-date the series.

Files within the series are arranged by subject using numbers from 1/- to 525/- (a list of subject headings can be found in the Finding Aids field). Over time some file subseries numbers were ''recycled'' if their subject matter had become obsolete. Thus there are many examples of multiple subjects sharing the same subseries number, for example: 22/- Waipiata Sanitorium and 22/- Data Processing Division.

When a file was closed, a consecutive (running) number was assigned and stamped on the file cover.

Related series 7886 and 7887:

It should be noted that files covering the period 1949 to 1959 were part of the Health Department's central filing system, sub-series 25/16-. This discrete sequence contains copies of the Nurses and Midwives Registration Board Minutes and Agenda, though the bulk of the files deal with Agenda.

At this stage the recordkeeping arrangements between the Health Department and the Board have not been clarified. The 1925 Nurses and Midwives Registration Act provided for the establishment of the Nurses and Midwives Registration Board, and presumably the keeping of their own Records and Minutes. The Board was composed of the Director General of Health and other appointees, and, as Chairman, the Director-General could appoint, in his absence, any officer from the Department of Health to Chair the Board.

It seems therefore fair to assume that the Health Department officers simply maintained a set of Agenda and Minutes (possibly the only set) as part of the Health Department's central filing system. This system covered that period up to the establishment of a separate and fully funded Nursing Council, with premises. On the establishment of the Nursing Council the records were then simply transferred from the Health Department to the Council. It should be noted that this group of files uses a discrete volume numbering system that was obviously not continued when the Council took over the maintenance of the records.