Table 1 Example of a data linkage system: core datasets of the WA data linkage system

Hospital Morbidity Data Set (HMDS)

Patient separations from hospital – reasons for admission, illnesses, details of discharge etc.

1970 -

Hospital administrative staff (Admission clerks, ward clerks)

Mortality Data

Registrar General records information on all deaths in WA including date and cause of death

1969 -

Funeral directors, may be modified by ABS (see Figure2)

Mental Health Database System (MHDS)

Patient separations from mental health facilities - reasons for admission, illnesses etc.

1966 -

Hospital administrative staff (Admission clerks, ward clerks)

WA Cancer Registry

Notification of incident cancers

1981 -

Diagnosing doctors and laboratories

Midwives Data Collection

Information on all births in WA, only the mother’s Indigenous identity is recorded in relation to the newborn

1980 -

Midwives

Birth Registry Data

Registrar General collects information on all births in WA including data and place of birth.

1974 -

Both parents are required to complete and sign the Birth Registration form

Electoral Roll

Every eligible Australian citizen (18 years or older) is required by law to enrol and vote

Not applicable (i.e. no information on Indigenous status is collected)