Hi Sunlaws,
Glad someone has had some luck with WYAS, I found them to be most obstructive. I am currently researching my Mother's side of the family and found that my Gt Aunt died in Wakefield in 1931. Her death certificate, like Loopy Lil's, just said "Mental Hospital UD". When I wrote to WYAS and asked them if they had any records for my Aunt they said they had not. Having done a bit of research and finding that Stanley Royds was indeed the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum and finding that my aunt's death certificate was signed by their Medical Director, I then wrote and asked them if they would look again for my Aunt's records. They then said they had managed to establish that my aunt was a patient at that hospital between 1923 and 1931. They further said that they had carried out an extensive search to locate any surviving medical casenotes or reception order but unfortunately without success. Only post mortem notes had been found for my aunt but I would still need to proceed with the application as if for any other medical records.
They went on to say that they may have further records but these are exempt from disclosure under Section 41 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If I was requesting personal information about a deceased relative I would have to provide proof of my ID and the familial relationship. (So far so good!!). Now this is what to me is the stupid bit, they go on to say that if I want to continue further they would require proof of my ID and permission in this case from the patient's personal representative (please bear in mind here that we are talking about a person who was born in 1897). In the first instance this would be the executor of the will of my Gt Aunt. If this person is also deceased then we would also need proof of your familial relationship to (my gt aunt) in addition to your proof of ID. We would also require letters of permission from anyone with a higher claim than yourself to any patient information (such as surviving siblings or children). If these individuals are also deceased then we would require copies of their death certificates as proof of this - photocopies or printed scanned images of certificates are acceptable in this case.
My Gt Aunt was the youngest of 9 children, and WYAS are telling me that they want me to provide proof of their deaths, the eldest being born in 1880. Surely common sense should prevail here. Apart from anything else, it would cost a fortune. I think they're just being awkward because I asked them to look again for me.
Busybod
