The Oxfordshire Health Archives (OHA) based at the Oxfordshire History Centre, is celebrating after being awarded Archive Service Accreditation by the National Archives.

Winning the accreditation will help ensure that the rich heritage of the archives is preserved, and demonstrates that the Oxfordshire Health Archives has met clearly defined national standards.

The archive holds a medical based archive for the region of Oxfordshire, including records, objects, paintings and photographs for: over thirty different hospitals and associated administrative bodies (both pre and post the formation of the National Health Service), leagues of friends, nurses’ alumni organisations and former members of staff (pictured is an archive image of staff at the Warneford Hospital)

Material dates from 1567 to the present day and features items of famous historical figures, such as Florence Nightingale, W. E. Gladstone, the novelist Mary Renault and landscape and portraiture painter, William Logsdail.

Oxford Health archivist, Lucy Barrell said: “We are delighted to receive the award and celebrate what is a huge achievement for a small department with a limited workforce.”

“The National Archives recognised the great potential of the archive, making recommendations for areas of further development as a public service and internal NHS resource. We look forward to actioning these points and working together with the Oxfordshire History Centre, the Oxford Health NHS Foundation and other funding partners.”

Find out more about the Oxfordshire Health Archives