SSB PHA Companion

Select the option relevant to your current research project.

The Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval will be assessed by the Public Health Act Administrator.  Any questions about the acceptability of ethics approvals should be addressed to the Public Health Act Administrator at PHA@health.qld.gov.au.

For more information, please refer to the Tips for submissions of Public Health Act 2005 research applications: Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval for the research Project.

All individuals who may be given access to the requested information must be named on the PHA application form (Section 3) regardless of whether they may receive identifiable / re-identifiable / potentially identifiable information. SSB can only release data to applicants named in the Delegate approval letter issued by the Office of Research and Innovation.

For more information please refer to the Tips for submissions of Public Health Act 2005 research applications:  Names of persons who may be given the requested information for the research project.

The researcher/s will need to specify where (including street address) the research project will be conducted.

Outline the research project’s objectives, expected outcomes and methodology. The information provided here must be consistent with the HREC approved protocol.

All datasets required must be listed in this section. If possible, it is advisable that the Cohort Scope be the same for all datasets.

Cohort Scope – This is the population of interest for your project. Describe the demographic, activity or health characteristics and relevant timeframe/s that define this group. For linked data requests, the cohort is usually the same for all datasets. If datasets are not linked then records of interest must be defined separately in each dataset.

Data Source - The data collection you are requesting data from. SSB is custodian of the following data collections:

• Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection (QHAPDC)
• Perinatal Data Collection (PDC)
• Queensland Health Non-Admitted Patient Data Collection (QHNAPDC)
• Queensland Trauma Registry (QTR)
• Death Registrations from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Queensland (by proxy)
• Cause of Death Unit Record File from the Australian Coordinating Registry (by proxy)

Data Description - The records/data being requested from this dataset. If a cohort has been identified for a linked data request, only records related to that cohort should be requested. Define these records with reference to data items available in this dataset.  For example, ‘where the cohort links to the admissions data, provide all episodes of care in public hospitals with a separation date from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.’

Data items requested – List the data items required for the specified cohort/data scope from this dataset. Make sure to list each data item on a separate line. If only a subset of values is required from a data item, or output is required in a specific format, this should be detailed here. Alternatively, this section can refer to an attached list of data items, such as a Commonly Requested Data Items form. Please see selected variable formats here.

Date Range - The date range over which data are requested from this dataset, specified in dd-mm-yyyy format. These dates must be consistent throughout the PHA application form and must not exceed the expiry date of the HREC approval submitted.

Frequency of request – Currently the Statistical Service Branch may approve a maximum of two data extracts per PHA application. Subsequent requests for data will require an amendment to the original application. For future-dated requests, specify the month/year the extract is requested. Data will be extracted in or after the specified month, subject to resources.

Data items to be used for linkage – If a cohort or external dataset is being provided to SSB for linkage, please list the identifiers that will be provided with that dataset. It is the researcher’s responsibility to ensure these identifiers are available prior to submitting their PHA to SSB. Please see the information sheet about providing cohorts or data for linkage.

Data Custodian Approval

The SSB Data Custodian will need to approve any SSB data requested for research purposes. See our website for further information about SSB datasets. PHA applications that request SSB data linkage services but no SSB data, will need to be approved by the Director, Statistical Analysis and Linkage Unit in SSB.  Draft PHA applications for review by the SSB Data Custodian or the Director of the Statistical Analysis and Linkage Unit can be emailed to DLQ@health.qld.gov.au.

For each Queensland Health data collection specified in Section 6, the researcher/s will need to seek approval from the relevant Data Custodian/s. See the List of Queensland Health data custodians for further information and contact details. Where the PHA application is signed by multiple Data Custodians, please ensure the same version of the PHA is reviewed by each Data Custodian.

The researcher is to advise whether data linkage is required for the research project and who will be linking the data. Further information about data linkage can be found on our website.

Researchers will need to outline who will be supplying the data and how the security and confidentially of the patient information provided will be maintained. Researcher/s will need to detail how the information will be transferred securely, how it will be held, stored, secured and how it will be accessed securely by the approved applicant list. Only approved applicants may receive the patient information. SSB can only release the data to an individual listed in the delegate approval letter

• Researcher is responsible for these steps
• SSB is responsible for these steps

See the Public Health Act application and SSB webpage for more details about the PHA approval process in SSB.

• PHA proforma
• Statistical Services Branch PHA minimum requirements
• Commonly Requested Data Items
• Queensland Data Linkage Framework
• Population Health Research Network

What is a delegate approval letter?
A delegate approval letter (also referred to as grant letter, approval notice) is a letter of approval signed by the Director-General’s delegate under section 284 of the Public Health Act 2005. A delegate approval letter is issued to a researcher where appropriate, once their PHA application and supporting documentation have been reviewed and assessed by the Office of Research and Innovation. SSB requires the researcher/s to provide a copy of the delegate approval letter to DLQ@health.qld.gov.au before SSB can prepare the data request.

The role of the Public Health Act Administrator
The Public Health Act Administrator in Queensland Health assesses the PHA applications following the approval of individual Data Custodians. The role of the Public Health Act Administrator sits within the Office of Research and Innovation in Queensland Health.  When submitting your PHA application you may be referred to the Office of Research and Innovation when it is time to submit your completed PHA application.

SSB Conditions of Disclosure
All approved PHA applicants who will be viewing SSB data, will need to complete an SSB Conditions of Disclosure form (provided by SSB) before data can be supplied. If new researchers join the research team and require access to the SSB data, the new researcher/s will also need to sign an SSB Conditions of Disclosure form.