Data to create the National Disability Data Asset

Informing government policy and programs

Research and development

The National Disability Data Asset (NDDA) will bring together de-identified data from Australian, state and territory government agencies for research and analysis.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) are partnering to design, develop, and deliver the technical aspects of the NDDA. The NDDA project is being led by the Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS) and is overseen by the Disability Reform Ministerial Council (DRMC).

Public Interest Statement

The NDDA will help people with disability, family members and carers; organisations that service people with disability; researchers; and governments:

• access better information;
• use, design, and deliver better support, services and information;
• and collaborate to improve outcomes for people with disability.

Health Insurance Act 1973(Cth)

National Health Act 1953 (Cth)

Census and Statistics Act 1905 (Cth)

National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth)

Social Security Administration Act 1999 (Cth)

A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Administration Act 1999 (Cth)

Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 (Cth)

Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 (Cth) 

Student Assistance Act 1973 (Cth)

Not applicable

Each of the specified data below is already shared with the ABS for the Personal Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA). Through the PLIDA, the data is transformed and split into de-identified modules of analytical data. Under this agreement, de-identified and transformed PLIDA modules of analytical data will be shared into the DATA Scheme to create the NDDA.

Specified data 1: Australians deaths data

The Australian deaths data contains records of all deaths registered in Australia since 1980, as reported by the Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages in each state and territory. The Australian deaths data contains information including date of death and age at death.

Data provider: The Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in its capacity as the Australian Co-ordinating Registry

Specified data 2: Medicare Benefits Schedule data

The Medicare Benefits Schedule data collection contains information on services that qualify for a benefit under the Health Insurance Act 1973 and for which a claim has been processed. The data comprises information about claims (including benefits paid), patients and service providers.

Data Provider: Department of Health and Aged Care

Specified data 3: Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data collection contains information on prescription medicines that qualify for a benefit under the National Health Act 1953 and for which a claim has been processed. The database comprises information about scripts and payments, patients, prescribers and dispensing pharmacies.

Data provider: Department of Health and Aged Care

Specified data 4: National Disability Insurance Scheme data

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) data contains records about Australian people who are or were NDIS participants and those who have enquired or applied to the NDIS. It includes information about Australian people including their disability; their access requests to the NDIS; their plans, Government-funded supports and payments; their carers; and their outcomes from being a part of the Scheme.

Data provider: National Disability Insurance Agency

Specified Data 5: Core NDDA Content data (DOMINO)

The Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences (DOMINO) data contains de-identified information about persons accessing a Centrelink administrated payment or service.

Data provider: Department of Social Services

Specified data 6: Dual Use Variables (MCD & DOMINO)

This data contains de-identified unit record analysis files produced using variables that are consistent across linkage and content data files. Examples of these dual use variables may be sex and age, both of which are required for linkage purposes but also to produce analysis. 

Specified data 7: Subset(s) of the National Linkage Map

The National Linkage Map is a concordance of de-identified person identifiers that provides pointers to records of an individual across different datasets. It facilitates the bringing together, on a de-identified basis, analytical data for the NDDA.

Specified data 8: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers data

The Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers data includes information about people with disability, older people (aged 65 years or more) and people who care for people with disability or older people.

Output 1: Australian Deaths Module 

The Australian Deaths Module can be combined with other data modules as required for a research project and will consist of: 

• De-identified Australian deaths content data
• Deaths Linkage Map which describes how the National Linkage Spine and the Deaths datasets are connected.

Output 2: Medicare Benefits Schedule Module

The Medicare Benefits Schedule Module will be created from the ADSP-enhanced data and will consist of: 

• De-identified Medicare Benefits Schedule content data
• The Medicare Benefits Schedule Linkage Map, which describes how the National Linkage Spine and the Medicare Benefits Schedule are connected.

Output 3:  Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme module

 The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Module will consist of:

• De-identified Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme content data
• The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Linkage Map, which describes how the National Linkage Spine and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme datasets are connected.

Output 4: National Disability Insurance Scheme Module 

The National Disability Insurance Scheme Module will consist of:  

• De-identified National Disability Insurance Scheme content data
• National Disability Insurance Scheme Linkage Map, which describes how the National Linkage Spine and the National Disability Insurance Scheme datasets are connected. 

Output 5: Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences (DOMINO) Module

The Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences Module will consist of: 

• De-identified Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences content data
• Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences Linkage Map, which describes how the National Linkage Spine and the Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences datasets are connected.

Output 6: Medicare Consumer Directory Module 

The Medicare Consumer Directory Module will consist of: 

• De-identified Medicare Consumer Directory content data

• Medicare Consumer Directory Linkage Map, which describes how the National Linkage Spine and the Medicare Consumer Directory datasets are connected.

   

Output 7: Core Disability Indicators

Core Disability Indicators, comprise de-identified information that support a consistent approach to disability measurement in the NDDA. The indicators capture and describe different disability concepts in the data.

Output 8: Survey of Disability Ageing and Carers

The Survey of Disability Ageing and Carers will inform key National Disability Data Asset priority areas including:

• Health outcomes for people with disability; and
• Reporting under Australia's Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework.