Gresswell Sanatorium

Gresswell history in brief

Gresswell was established in 1933 and was named after Dr Dan Astley Gresswell, public medical administrator of the Board of Public Health from 1894–1904.
The aim of Gresswell was to combat tuberculosis during the 1930s. The last tuberculosis patient was admitted to Gresswell Sanatorium in April 1970.

In May 1970, Gresswell Sanatorium was transferred to the Mental Health Branch and became the Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre for male alcoholic and drug dependent patients.

In 1970, Gresswell began admitting alcoholic patients, and accepting cases from Royal Park, Larundel, Mont Park and Plenty Hospitals. A total of 48 patients were admitted to two 24-bed wards.

Until 1990, funding for alcohol and drug services in Victoria concentrated on four large government alcohol and drug centres that were geographically isolated, provided limited access for clients and were not linked to other alcohol and drug and health and welfare services (Pleasant View Centre, Smith Street Clinic, Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Heatherton Hospital Alcohol and Drug Unit).

The last of these centres was closed in June 1995. Funding has since been redistributed across the state for the establishment of community-based drug withdrawal services, specialist methadone services and specialist counselling and support positions.

Warning about distressing information

This guide contains information that some people may find distressing. If you experienced abuse as a child or young person in an institution mentioned in this guide, it may be a difficult reading experience. Guides may also contain references to previous views, policies and practices that are regrettable and do not reflect the current views, policies or practices of the department or the State of Victoria. If you find this content distressing, please consult with a support person either from the Department of Health and Human Services or another agency.

Disclaimer

Please note that the content of this administrative history is provided for general information only and does not purport to be comprehensive. The department does not guarantee the accuracy of this administrative history. For more information on the history of child welfare in Australia, see Find & Connect.

Source

• Cowen K 1970, Gresswell Sanatorium, 1933–1970: a brief historical review, Tuberculosis Branch, Victorian Department of Health.
• Mental Health Authority 1971, Report of the Mental Health Authority: for the year ended 31st December, 1970, viewed 20 July 2016
• Department of Human Services 1997, Victoria's alcohol and drug treatment services: the framework for service delivery, viewed 20 July 2016,

List of records held by the department

For information relating to the central management of care leavers and wards of state, please consult the guide to Central department wardship and out-of-home care records. These collections date back to the 1860s and include ward registers, index cards and ward files.

PLEASE NOTE: Patients could be admitted to a Receiving House for short-term treatment and care, but were not permitted to remain longer than two months.
Patients still needing treatment after two months could be sent to a Psychiatric Hospital, in the same institution/complex or another. Hence, there could be more than one set of records for any one person. Please check each location for former patient records.

Gresswell Sanatorium (1933–70)

Register of patients (admission and discharge registers) (1933-86)

Volume; Permanent VPRS Number 17812/P0001

Content: These registers document persons admitted to and discharged from the sanatorium. Register entries are arranged in chronological order.
Inforation provided includes:

• patient’s name
• address
• age
• birthplace
• occupation
• admission date
• discharge date
• days spent in sanatorium
• condition
• complications
• treatment
• condition on discharge
• transfer
• residence after discharge.

Register of patients (admission and discharge registers) (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Pleasant View Centre) (1986-95)

Volume; Permanent VPRS Number 17809/P0003

Content: These registers document persons admitted to and discharged from the sanatorium. Register entries are arranged in chronological order. Information provided includes:

• patient’s name
• address
• age
• birthplace
• occupation
• admission date
• discharge date
• days spent in sanatorium
• condition
• complications
• treatment
• condition on discharge
• transfer
• residence after discharge.

The registers include admissions to Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre 1986–93 and Pleasant View Centre 1992–95.

Departmental administration

Photographs, Gresswell Sanatorium social club, Mont Park (1936-45)

Volume and photograph; Permanent (Unappraised)

Content: This collection comprises photographs from Gresswell Sanatorium taken during the World War II. The item is an album of black and white photographs of buildings, staff and patients at Gresswell.

Miscellaneous subject files [Gresswell Sanatorium, Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Pleasant View Centre] (1944-94)

File; Temporary

Content: This collection consists of a variety of subject files relating to all areas of operation of the centre. The files are in no apparent order but can be identified by the subject title that is written on each file. The areas covered include patient care and treatment, staffing and personnel and management and administrative matters.

Most files were created and relate to the alcohol and drug dependent persons functions of Gresswell and Pleasant View, with a few, particularly staff related, having been created in the Gresswell Sanatorium era.

Topics include:

• staff injuries and accidents / Workcare
• legal correspondence
• medical officers and doctors correspondence
• meeting minutes
• statistics
• personnel
• public works
• circulars
• drug file
• pathology notes
• music therapy notes.

Glass plate and plastic X-rays, training guides for testing mantoux and HEAF and tuberculin vaccination (c.1940-c.60)

Glass plate; Unappraised

Content: This accession contains a number of records that were presumably used to teach nursing and medical staff or to compare specimens taken from patients. Items in the collection are:

• glass plate negative X-rays
• plastic media X-rays
• training placards for tuberculin testing, including:
  - mantoux HEAF tine
  - skin testing and BCG vaccinations
  - using the patient record card
• four containers with human lung sections mounted between glass slides.

Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre (1970–c.95)

Admission and discharge

Register of patients (admission and discharge registers) [Gresswell and Pleasant View Centres] (1933-95)

Volume; Permanent VPRS Number 17812/P0001 and 17812/P0002

Content: These registers document persons admitted to and discharged from the sanatorium. Register entries are arranged in chronological order. Information provided includes:

• patient’s name
• address
• age
• birthplace
• occupation
• admission date
• discharge date
• days spent in sanatorium
• condition
• complications
• treatment
• condition on discharge
• transfer
• residence after discharge.

The registers include admissions to Gresswell Sanatorium to 1970, Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre 1970–93 and Pleasant View Centre 1992–95.

Register of patients (admission and discharge registers) (1970-87)

Volume; Permanent VPRS Number 17809/P0001 and 17809/P0002

Content: These registers document persons admitted to and discharged from the sanatorium.
Register entries are arranged in chronological order. Information provided includes:

• patient’s name
• address
• age
• birthplace
• occupation
• admission date
• discharge date
• days spent in sanatorium
• condition
• complications
• treatment
• condition on discharge
• transfer
• residence after discharge.

Admission and discharge computer reports (1990-90)

Print-out; Temporary

Content: This record was a computer printout that summarized admissions and discharges. The original accession register describes the record as:
Spectrum report:

• admission and discharge dates
• address
• postcode
• date of birth.

Presumably the patient’s name was also included.

Index to admission and discharge register of patients (drug and alcohol rehabilitation) (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Pleasant View Centre) (1986-95)

Volume; Permanent VPRS Number 17815/P0001

Content: This is an index to registers of patients (admission and discharge registers) transferred to PROV as VPRS 17809/P3.

The index is divided into alphabetical sections into which patients’ names with surnames beginning with the relevant letter are written. For each name there is a number recorded, which is the page number in the register that the index refers to on which the admission is registered.

Names are entered in chronological order by date that patients were admitted, although no dates are included in the index. Two registers of patients are indexed by this record so two sequences of page numbers appear in the index against names.

Warrants, admission and discharge forms (1976-95)

Document; Temporary

Content: These records are legal documents which indicate that a client has been lawfully admitted to and discharged from the centre. The records are in alphanumeric order.

Case management

Master patient index cards [Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre, Pleasant View Centre and Smith Street Clinic] (c.1975-95)

Card; Unappraised

Content: This collection is the master list of clients who attended Drug Services Victoria facilities, comprising Pleasant View Centre / Gresswell Sanatorium / Smith Street Clinic. The cards are arranged in alphabetical order by patient name.

Patient case history files [Gresswell Sanatorium, Pleasant View Centre and Smith Street Clinic] (c.1975-95)

File; Unappraised

Content: This collection consists of patient files from the Pleasant View Centre, Gresswell Sanatorium and Smith Street Clinic. The files document each patient’s treatment and progress. Each client is listed with full name and date of birth.

Note that the records in the date range 1975–83 are a sample only of 200 files.

Direct care

Unit 1, Men’s unit, working papers (1992-93)

File; Temporary

Content: This accession consists of working papers for the men’s unit at Gresswell, The content includes:

• program minutes and timetables
• evaluations
• students notes and assessment forms
• occupational therapy activities
• policy aims
• specialist therapy team meeting minutes and services
• case management papers.

They are not in any order. Files are identifiable by the subject/title written on them.

Patient belongings and trust fund

Indemnity forms (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Pleasant View Centre) (1987-95)

Volume; Temporary

Content: These forms are carbon copies bound in a book. The forms list patients’ belongings that were with the patient on their arrival at the centre. The collection contained indemnity forms for several institutions and wards including:

• Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre
• Pleasant View Centre
• acute withdrawal unit
• women’s detox unit
• CASS/WRAP
• Pinaroo
• community homes.

The records were destroyed in 2003.

Trust Records (Routine) (1989-91)

File and volume; Temporary

Content: These were finance records relating to the patient trust account. They included

• petty cash records
• material received vouchers
• kiosk receipts
• bank books.

The records were destroyed in 2003.

Departmental administration

Decommissioning

Decommissioning of Gresswell, miscellaneous records (1986-94)

Volume and file; Temporary

Content: This collection contains a variety of administrative records relating to the decommissioning of Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre. The records include:

• policy document
• assets register and associated information
• stock lists
• record lists
• material issued vouchers.

Filing systems

General administration files and key plans (1973-82)

File; Temporary

Content: This collection comprises subject files with an alphanumeric control system together with full titling under groupings. Information includes staff and patient circulars, annual reports, committees, conferences, training, Pentridge, residences, transport and research.

Also included is material pertaining to other agencies such as the Salvation Army, Ozanam House and Narcotics Anonymous.

Internal registry files (c.1980s-92)

File; Temporary

Content: These are the central, registered corporate subject files of the Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre. They document management, administrative and policy matters dealt with by corporate services at the centre.

They are arranged in an alphanumeric, multi number system based on function and activity. To assist in correct filing, a colour coded filing system with subject categories in each colour division was used. For example, the blue A prefix files were colour coded blue, and related to the general services function; yellow ‘B’ files were finance related, and so on.

Miscellaneous subject files [Gresswell Sanatorium, Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Pleasant View Centre] (1948-94)

File; Temporary

Content: This collection consists of a variety of subject files relating to all areas of operation of the centre. The files are in no apparent order, but can be identified by the subject title that is written on each file. The areas covered include patient care and treatment, staffing and personnel and management and administrative matters.

Most files were created and relate to the alcohol and drug-dependent persons functions of Gresswell and Pleasant View, with a few, particularly staff related, having been created in the Gresswell Sanatorium era.

Topics include:

• staff injuries and accidents / Workcare
• legal correspondence
• medical officers and doctors correspondence
• meeting minutes
• statistics
• personnel
• public works
• circulars
• drug file
• pathology notes
• music therapy notes.

Executive and management records

Official visitors books (1973-91)

Volume and file; Temporary

Content: This book contains entries made by official visitors to the centre to record matters of note they observed or that were brought to their attention during their visit.

Executive Committee Meeting Minutes (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Pleasant View Centre) (1974-84, 1991-95)

File; Unappraised

Content: This collection of executive committee meeting minutes is arranged chronologically. Copies are often annotated. For some of the period covered in this collection there are separate sequences for both Gresswell and Pleasant View.

Stores

Miscellaneous stores records (1991-95)

Document; Temporary

Content: these were a small number of ledger stock sheets and requisition forms found in the Gresswell store after the centre’s closure. They were boxed together as a miscellaneous collection.

The records were destroyed in 2003.

Materials issued vouchers (1986-95)

Form; Temporary

Content: This collection comprised a series of materials issued vouchers (MIVs) created in the store at Gresswell. An MIV was created to record any item and quantity of the item that was issued by the Gresswell store for use in the centre. Several copies of each MIV were made; the original was retained in the store to facilitate update of stock records; one copy went to the accounts payable staff in the administrative office, and a third copy went with the item to the person who requested it.

The records were destroyed in 2004 and 2008.

Stock hardware ledger (1989-91)

Volume; Temporary

Content: Comprises inventories of provisions for all locations in the Gresswell centre. The inventories were done on a weekly basis using materials issued vouchers as the source of update information. Accompanied by a monthly statement.

The records were arranged chronologically into monthly sets.

The records were destroyed in 1999.

Materials received vouchers (1989-93)

Document; Temporary

Content: These records were a series of numbered materials received vouchers (MRVs). An MRV was completed by the storeman to document the receipt of items into the store. One copy of each MRV was forwarded to the finance department of Gresswell to advise them to pay for the items. Another copy was retained in the store to be used to update stock records.

The records were destroyed by 2004.

Acknowledgement of goods received (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and, Pleasant View Centre) (1989-90)

Document; Temporary

Content: This collection comprises the Gresswell accounting section’s copy of purchase orders on which were marked a record of the receipt of the goods or services specified in the purchase order. The fact of receipt of the goods or services was communicated to the accounting staff by the storeman who issued a materials received voucher (MRV) when items were received into the store.

The records were destroyed in 1999.

Monthly provision orders (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre, Pleasant View Centre and Smith Street Clinic) (1989-94)

Bundle; Temporary

Content: These were sheets that documented provisions required or used at each centre each month. They were arranged chronologically within bundles.
The records were destroyed in 2004.

Provision orders (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre, Pleasant View Centre and Smith Street Clinic) (1988-93)

Volume; Temporary

Content: These records were orders for provisions. They were arranged alphabetically in folders and then chronologically.
The records were destroyed in 2003.

Personnel and payroll

Payroll records (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre, Pleasant View and Smith Street Clinic) (1990-91)

File and print-out

Content: These were fortnightly records containing salaries and wages, overtime and penalty rates, computer cash book reports, employee profile records, new pay batch summaries and batch headers.

They were arranged chronologically by code number.

Boxes 1 and 2 were Gresswell only. Pleasant View then took over payroll and the remaining boxes included records for both centres. Boxes 32 and 33 related to Smith Street Clinic.

The records were destroyed in 2003.

Staff time sheets (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Pleasant View Centre) (1988-91)

Print-out; Temporary

Content: Chronological series of staff timesheets from Gresswell. They were marked ‘admin’ and ‘nursing admin’. They were arranged in chronological order by date of the pay run.

The records were destroyed in 1999.

Staff attendance books (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Pleasant View Centre) (1988-91)

Volume; Temporary

Content: Registers of staff sign on/sign off recording staff hours and attendance. They are arranged chronologically.

Overtime timesheets (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Pleasant View Centre) (1988-90)

Document; Temporary

Content: Sheets that record the overtime hours worked by staff. The records are arranged chronologically and include kitchen and outdoor staff as well as nursing and administration staff.

The records were destroyed in 1998.

Group certificates (1987-95)

Document; Temporary

Content: These are the employer’s copy of group certificates issued for staff employed at Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre.

The records were destroyed in 2003.

Salary change cards (c.1995-c.95)

Card; Temporary

Content: These records were cards arranged alphabetically by employee’s name. Details of any changes to salary entitlements or salary due were recorded on these cards.

The records were destroyed in 2004.

Accounting

Finance records (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Pleasant View Centre) (1988-95)

Volume and file; Temporary

Content: These were a variety of finance and accounting records, associated with the process of acquiring and accounting for goods and services.

The records were destroyed in 1999 and 2003

Financial reports (Gresswell Rehabilitation Centre and Pleasant Creek Centre) (1986-93)

Microfiche; Temporary

Content: These records are microfiche copies of various financial reports. They include reports relating to Gresswell and Pleasant View dated August 1986. Overall the microfiche content is listed as:

• Settlement Register Corporation 14-735 – 1986–93
• Debit Balance Report Corporation 14-735 7 14-755 – 1988–93
• Financial Reports Pleasant Creek and Gresswell, August 1986

Grants

Community reports and grants, women’s project, Drug Services Victoria (1992-93)

File; Unappraised

Content: This collection consists of community reports and grants files. The files:

• document community projects including their historical background
• evaluate the women’s program
• contain protocol documents for Department of Health and Community Services and Drug Services Victoria.