40 years of Lothian Health Services Archive

In 1980 the largest health archive in the UK was established by Lothian Health Board and the University of Edinburgh. During a time when we have never been more aware of the importance of global health, we celebrate the first 40 years of a collection that captures the history of medicine and healthcare in the Lothians from 1594 to the present day.  

Members of staff, interns and volunteers from the last few years were asked to choose their favourite item and reflect on what working with Lothian Health Services Archive has meant to them. Their selections mirror the richness and variety of the collection, from old to new, from text to image, from hospital history to patient perspective. Yet it is the human story that connects them all. 

"My favourite items come from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh’s Department of Dietetics. In 1924, the Infirmary became the first hospital in Britain to appoint a dietician, reflecting the growing recognition of the importance of nutrition in patient care."

Louise Neilson (Access Officer 2018 onwards)  

"I have worked for LHSA since 2018 and barely a day goes by when I don’t learn something new. Working closely with users, I enjoy watching people react to the collections and seeing how personally connected they feel to the stories within them.” 

“I have too many favourites from this fantastic collection to choose just one, so this eighteenth-century Charter for the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh will have to serve as a symbolic representation of the swathes of hospital administrative records we hold. Not only are they a fascinating insight into how these organisations have been managed in the past, but we continue to collect in this area today to record the work of our wonderful NHS.”
 
Ruth Honeybone (Conservator 2002 – 2012, Manager 2012 onwards)

“Lothian Health Services Archive has been a big part of my life for a long time: it has taken me from a newly qualified conservator nearly twenty years ago through to managing the service now. The collection continues to hold surprises for me, and there are always interesting new challenges and projects to get to grips with. I take particular satisfaction from being able to work with publically-owned material that helps provide answers to important questions and in supporting others in their professional archive and conservation careers.”

“This image of Tom Baker represents one of my favourite cultural icons, Doctor Who, meeting the nurses of the Sick Kids Hospital and it led me to investigate how he was encouraged to do charity work in Edinburgh by Scottish guest star, Russell Hunter.” 

Stephen Willis (Archive Assistant 2007 – 2015)

“From my time at LHSA I learned to locate archive records of people using finding aids and indexes, a skill which I still regularly use to this day.”

“I don’t have one favourite item – but rather, a favourite collection: the Neurosurgical Case Notes of Norman Dott, that I helped catalogue. I was fascinated by the very human stories in these files, and I gained an immense respect for the kindness and wisdom of Professor Dott.”     
 
Aline Brodin (LHSA intern 2015, Project Cataloguing Archivist 2016 – 2017)

“Working at LHSA gave me a shining example of the discipline and organisation needed to complete large-scale cataloguing projects, while also working in a stimulating environment with supportive and knowledgeable colleagues. It set the bar really high in my professional life!”

“Having worked solely on the records of Professor Norman Dott, this image of the new operating theatre in the Department of Surgical Neurology at the Western General Hospital, opened in 1960, captures how much the department, led by Dott, had developed and advanced the specialism.”
 
Liz Course (LHSA intern 2014, Project Cataloguing Archivist 2014 – 2015)

“Being part of LHSA showed me how effectively a small team can work together innovatively and creatively; and the importance of always looking at new ways to engage with collections and users while working to the highest standards.”

“This colourful postcard stands out for me, from the 'Take Care' public health campaign. As well as being a nice image, its message represents a radical new approach to tackling the HIV/AIDS crisis, promoting positive sexual health.” 

Clair Millar (Volunteer 2013 – 2014, Intern 2014, Project Cataloguing Archivist 2015 – 2018) 

“My experience at LHSA from volunteer to Cataloguing Archivist developed my archive and transferable skills, from the very beginning of my career. Each collection I worked with has given me fresh perspectives and new insights of medical history, that has shaped life over time.”

“My favourite item is the leaflet “HIV, AIDS & Sex. Information for young people” which uses real life quotes to effectively promote safe sex to teenagers. The design is so ‘90s and reminds me of posters and leaflets I saw when I was younger!”    
Emily Hick (Project Conservator 2014 – 2015 ) 

“I gained a huge amount from working at LHSA. It was my first full-time job after graduating and taught me a lot about project and time management. It also introduced me to the wonderful world of plastics conservation which remains an area of interest for me.”

“Dr Thomas Clouston was a firm believer in the impact of pleasant surroundings on mental health. Craig House was designed to give the impression of a grand hotel, and his vision of a hospital as a home marked an important shift in perceptions of mental illness.”          
 
Alice Doyle (Access Officer 2016 – 2018)          

“Working at LHSA taught me about the affective potential of archives: even the most ordinary seeming document can reflect decisions and actions that had a transformative impact on someone’s life. Whether record subject or record creator, there are people in the papers.”