Social and Demographic Statistics, Australian Bureau of Statistics

“The NCIS system is an effective and efficient access point to data the ABS requires for coding external causes of death across the State and Territory jurisdictions. It has proven to be an invaluable aid with regard to mortality coding undertaken by the ABS, saving significant time and staff resources both in the Health and Vitals Statistics Unit in Queensland, and in other ABS locations. Prior to the availability of NCIS, ABS staff had to physically obtain the information from files at Coroners’ offices in each State/Territory

The quality of national cause of death data produced by the ABS has been enhanced by the consistent use of one database across all jurisdictions. There has also been a definite decrease in the number unresolved queries in the previous processing years. Just one example where there was significant improvement was in the clear up rate for fractures in the elderly.”

Tara Pritchard
Director
Social and Demographic Statistics
Australian Bureau of Statistics

June 2005
				

Drugs Policy and Services, Victorian Department of Human Services

“…thanks for the fantastic service you all provide. We’re getting a lot of use out of this data, and hopefully it will lead to preventing some of these tragic and unnecessary deaths.”

Dr Malcolm Dobbin
Senior Medical Advisor
Drugs Policy and Services
Victorian Department of Human Services

December 2004
				

Blind Makers Association of Australia

“In January 2003, the Office of Fair Trading in NSW imposed on the window furnishing industry a regulation to prevent children strangling themselves in looped operating cords.

The industry had no knowledge of any such tragedies and as such were unaware of the background to these incidents.

Using information from the NCIS, I was able to tell the principals of some of the largest blind manufacturers in Australia that children had in fact died, and was able to relate the circumstances of some of the cases in such a way that we could all be motivated to do our best to minimise risks in the future.

It has made our job of selling the need for a safety first approach to blind loops to our members, and they in turn to their staff and customers, much easier.”

Peter Schweinsberg
Safety Officer – Blind Makers Association of Australia

September 2004
				

Elmatom Pty Ltd.

“The National Coroners Information System is the most innovative and comprehensive initiative anywhere in the world to make use of Coroners' information, and should underpin all major research initiatives into fatal injury in Australia.”

Dr Tim Driscoll
Elmatom Pty Ltd

November 2003
				

Senior Deputy State Coroner, New South Wales

“Just Brilliant! Thank you so much for taking the time to do that [search on deaths involving logging incidents] for me…..absolutely invaluable!”

It’s great to see the worth of your wonderful program in action. Well done!

Jacqueline Milledge
Senior Deputy State Coroner
New South Wales

April 2003
				

Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, NSW Health Department

“Currently the NSW Department of Health relies on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics for information on the number of deaths and their causes. The National Coronial Information System has the potential to provide richer and more timely information than is currently available, and will improve the Department’s ability to monitor the occurrence of unnatural deaths, implement programs targeting relevant risk factors and evaluate prevention programs.”

Lee Taylor
Manager, Surveillance Methods
Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch
NSW Health Department
November 2002
				

Accident Research Centre, Monash University

“NCIS is unique and Australia is the envy of every country where I have presented injury data and research in recent years, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, The Netherlands, New Zealand and other Asian Pacific countries.”

Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith
Chair of Injury Prevention
Accident Research Centre, Monash University
November 2002
				

Research Centre for Injury Studies, Flinders University, South Australia

“I am writing to let you know that we are finding the information from the NCIS to be very useful. We are able to study the topic of interest (alcohol and water safety) in ways that go beyond what we could do with any other practicable source. We have been able to undertake this part of our project quickly (ie within a few weeks), once we obtained access to the relevant set of NCIS records.”

Professor James Harrison
Research Centre for Injury Studies
Flinders University, South Australia
November 2002
				

Victorian Attorney-General

“The NCIS represents a world first in providing an Internet accessible database of coronial information across Australia. Coronial data is a rich source of information about the causes of preventable deaths in this country. (The NCIS) will provide a means of accessing data in a timely way and will increase the potential for coronial information to contribute to a reduction in preventable death and injury in Australia and in doing so, it will reduce both the emotional and financial burden of lost life in our community. The NCIS will revolutionise the way we investigate and respond to preventable deaths in Australia”.

The Honourable Rob Hulls
Victorian Attorney-General 

NCIS Launch, August 2000