Request for Data Dictionary for the population registers for people who have been breast screened
Dear Department of Health,
The Standing Committee on Screening has the document 'Framework for Population Based Screening updated September 2016' on its website.
It states that the breast screening program is to 'have a database or systems available capable of providing a population register for people screened that can issue invitations for initial screening, recall individuals for repeat screening, follow those with identified abnormalities, correlate with morbidity and mortality results and monitor and evaluate the program and its impact.
I need to know what type of data is collected, the consistency of the types of data collected across the various Australian States and whether it appears prima facie to be adequate for Health to determine morbidity statistics relating to risk factors such as breast density and HRT. For example, can Health determine the prevalence of patients who have been diagnosed with interval cancer and who have breasts in the density 50 to 100 percent. Failure to collect such information would be inexcusable for an organisation that claims it cannot report breast density because it has insufficient evidence of the benefits of doing so.
Therefore I request
1. a copy of the data dictionary (or several data dictionaries if different for each State) for the population register database for breast screening required to be maintained by Health in accordance with its stated Framework.
Yours faithfully,
Michael Shephard
Attention: Michael Shephard
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – NOTIFICATION OF RECEIPT
I am writing to notify you that the Department of Health (Department) has received your request (in your below email) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
The Department will take all reasonable steps to notify you of a decision no later than 30 calendar days after the date your request was received. You will be contacted where a charge is applied for processing your request or if we need to consult a third party.
Unless you advise otherwise, duplicate documents and Commonwealth employee names and contact details below Senior Executive Service level and mobile telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the scope of your request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
You can contact the FOI Unit on (02) 6289 1666, or via email at [email address], should you have any enquiries.
Regards
FOI Unit
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health
T: (02) 6289 1666 | E: [Health request email]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Shephard [mailto:[FOI #4474 email]]
Sent: Friday, 6 April 2018 4:06 PM
To: FOI
Subject: TRIM: Freedom of Information request - Request for Data Dictionary for the population registers for people who have been breast screened [SEC=No Protective Marking]
Dear Department of Health,
The Standing Committee on Screening has the document 'Framework for Population Based Screening updated September 2016' on its website.
It states that the breast screening program is to 'have a database or systems available capable of providing a population register for people screened that can issue invitations for initial screening, recall individuals for repeat screening, follow those with identified abnormalities, correlate with morbidity and mortality results and monitor and evaluate the program and its impact.
I need to know what type of data is collected, the consistency of the types of data collected across the various Australian States and whether it appears prima facie to be adequate for Health to determine morbidity statistics relating to risk factors such as breast density and HRT. For example, can Health determine the prevalence of patients who have been diagnosed with interval cancer and who have breasts in the density 50 to 100 percent. Failure to collect such information would be inexcusable for an organisation that claims it cannot report breast density because it has insufficient evidence of the benefits of doing so.
Therefore I request
1. a copy of the data dictionary (or several data dictionaries if different for each State) for the population register database for breast screening required to be maintained by Health in accordance with its stated Framework.
Yours faithfully,
Michael Shephard
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Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #4474 email]
Is [Health request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Department of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
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If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
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______________________________________________________________________
"Important: This transmission is intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you receive this transmission in error please notify the author immediately and delete all copies of this transmission."
Dear Mr Shephard,
Thank you for your request to the Department of Health (Department) of 6
April 2018, seeking access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI
Act) to:
‘a copy of the data dictionary (or several data dictionaries if different
for each State) for the population register database for breast screening
required to be maintained by Health in accordance with its stated
Framework’
The document that you have requested is publically available at the
following link:
[1]http://www.cancerscreening.gov.au/intern...
Next steps
On this basis, please confirm if the above link provides you with the
document that are you are seeking access to.
If the FOI unit does not hear from you by COB Thursday, 26 April 2018, the
Department will consider your request withdrawn given the information is
publically available.
Please contact the FOI unit on (02) 6289 1666 or via email at
[2][email address] if you would like to discuss further.
Kind regards
FOI Unit
[3]cid:image001.png@01D1A615.A11AFEC0
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health
T: (02) 6289 1666 | E: [4][Health request email]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the traditional owners of country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and
community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders
both past and present.
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Shephard
[[5]mailto:[FOI #4474 email]]
Sent: Friday, 6 April 2018 4:06 PM
To: FOI
Subject: TRIM: Freedom of Information request - Request for Data
Dictionary for the population registers for people who have been breast
screened [SEC=No Protective Marking]
Dear Department of Health,
The Standing Committee on Screening has the document 'Framework for
Population Based Screening updated September 2016' on its website.
It states that the breast screening program is to 'have a database or
systems available capable of providing a population register for people
screened that can issue invitations for initial screening, recall
individuals for repeat screening, follow those with identified
abnormalities, correlate with morbidity and mortality results and monitor
and evaluate the program and its impact.
I need to know what type of data is collected, the consistency of the
types of data collected across the various Australian States and whether
it appears prima facie to be adequate for Health to determine morbidity
statistics relating to risk factors such as breast density and HRT. For
example, can Health determine the prevalence of patients who have been
diagnosed with interval cancer and who have breasts in the density 50 to
100 percent. Failure to collect such information would be inexcusable for
an organisation that claims it cannot report breast density because it has
insufficient evidence of the benefits of doing so.
Therefore I request
1. a copy of the data dictionary (or several data dictionaries if
different for each State) for the population register database for breast
screening required to be maintained by Health in accordance with its
stated Framework.
Yours faithfully,
Michael Shephard
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[6][FOI #4474 email]
Is [7][Health request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Department of Health? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[8]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
[9]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Important: This transmission is intended only for the use of the
addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or
dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you receive
this transmission in error please notify the author immediately and delete
all copies of this transmission."
References
Visible links
1. http://www.cancerscreening.gov.au/intern...
2. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[Health request email]
5. mailto:[FOI #4474 email]
6. mailto:[FOI #4474 email]
7. mailto:[Health request email]
8. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
9. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...