Chapter 1: Our performance

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's (AIHW) activities are guided by legislative and government requirements, and its strategic directions, work plan and contractual obligations. This chapter summarises the AIHW's performance for 2010-11 against each of its strategic directions, expected major deliverables and key performance indicators that were operating during this financial year, including those in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2010-11. 

The achievement of specific planned outputs for 2010-11 is recorded in the unit reports in Chapter 3 Our operating units. 

This chapter also summarises financial performance in relation to the audited financial statements in Appendix 9. Performance in relation to some specific legislative requirements is noted at the end of the chapter. 

Portfolio Budget Statements

The Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS) provide the major performance accountability framework against which the AIHW's performance is measured. Annual direct funding for the AIHW from the Australian Parliament is appropriated on the basis of outcomes (see Glossary).

The AIHW's outcome and program structure, as set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2010-11 Budget Related Paper No. 1.11 - Health and Ageing Portfolio, consists of one outcome and one program, each of which is consistent with the AIHW's mission and strategic directions.

Under the PBS for 2010-11, the AIHW's outcome and program are underpinned by 18 deliverables and associated key performance indicators used to monitor its performance. These are all included in the deliverables and indicators detailed in this chapter and listed below along with the reference point (or target) to be achieved.

PBS deliverables and key performance indicators, 2010-11

Assist the COAG policy reform agenda
Data required for COAG reporting are produced to support the reporting timetable	COAG reporting timetables are met
COAG performance indicator specifications are endorsed by relevant national committees	Specifications are endorsed that cover 9 health and 6 housing and homelessness performance indicators (as minimums)
Support is provided to national information committees for health, housing, community services and Indigenous reform	Continued participation by departments and agencies of state and territory governments and the Australian Government in national information committees, AIHW-led consultative processes and business relationships with the AIHW and continuing participation in information activities initiated by national policy committees
Maintain and enhance the quality of Australia's health and welfare statistics
Develop new and improved data items for the COAG reporting process	Data improvements for COAG are documented
Support the production of national data standards, datasets and metadata in the health, housing and community services sectors	Endorsed data standards are made freely available through AIHW's METadata Online Registry (METeOR)
Data standards endorsed for inclusion in the National health data dictionary and the National community services data dictionary to be made available quickly	100% of new and updated data standards to be loaded to the AIHW's online METeOR registry within 30 days of endorsement
Provide performance indicator data required for the COAG reporting process to the SCRGSP	Data supplied for the 2009-10 COAG reporting process cover performance indicators described in relevant National Agreements: 48 for health 6 for Indigenous reform 6 for disability 6 for housing and homelessness
Publish Australia's health 2012, Australia's welfare 2011, and the AIHW's Annual report 2009-10 within the timeframes required by legislation	Adherence to the timetables for provision of reports to Parliament as required by the AIHW Act and the CAC Act: presentation of Australia's welfare 2011 to the Minister by 31 December 2011 presentation of Australia's health 2012 to the Minister by 30 June 2012 presentation of the AIHW's Annual report 2009-10 to the Minister by 15 October 2010
Achieve target website downloads for Australia's health and Australia's welfare publications	Website downloads of Australia's health are 17,000 and of Australia's welfare are 1,370 (as a minimum)
Enhance data access, while protecting privacy
Publish statistical information in the health, housing and community services sectors	Publications available free of charge via the internet
Review procedures and associated guidelines for submissions to the AIHW Ethics Committee	The review is complete by June 2011
Make interactive datasets available on the AIHW website	Make interactive data sets covering 18 subject areas and metadata collections covering 5 subject areas available on the AIHW website (as minimums)
Hold metadata online in METeOR	Hold metadata online in METeOR for: 25 national minimum data sets 28 other data set specifications 1,231 data elements 4,030 standard metadata items
Release data to the extent possible given privacy issues	Data releases fully comply with all privacy and confidentiality requirements
Improve the communication of key messages
Upgrade the AIHW website	The AIHW website upgrade is complete by June 2011
Major annual publications where content and presentation of data are reviewed	Four publications are reviewed
Improve the readability and communication of key messages in report publications	Feedback regarding the readability of publications is positive and media coverage is positive
Provide free, high-quality information, measured as AIHW website visits and as references to published reports in the media and in Parliament	Website visits are 1,423,000 and mentions of the AIHW and its products in the media are 3,728 and in the Commonwealth Parliament are 70 (each as a minimum).

Exception reporting

Each of these deliverables and indicator targets were achieved, with the following exceptions.

The data supplied to the Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision (SCRGSP) for the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) reporting process covered 5 (not 6) disability performance indicators. During the year, the role previously carried out by the AIHW in enabling the preparation of one indicator from Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey data was transferred to the ABS, which will in future supply data for this indicator.

Metadata held online in METeOR—the AIHW's online registry of metadata—at June 2011 included 23 (not 25) national minimum data sets, 25 (not 28) other dataset specifications and 1,168 (not 1,231) data elements. These differences arose from changes to data collections and delays in data development.

• The Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) National Minimum Data Set replaced two now superseded national minimum data sets related to the former Supported Accommodation Assistance Program data collection. In addition, the expected development of an additional national minimum data set for homelessness was not required. The Children's Services National Minimum Data Set was also superseded by the development of the new Early Childhood Education and Care suite of data collections.
• There were delays in the endorsement as standards of a Prisoner Health Data Set Specification and an Indigenous Primary Health Care Data Set Specification developed by the AIHW. Both endorsement processes are in progress. The expected development of a Specialist Homelessness Establishment Database Data Set Specification by the AIHW will not be undertaken. The completion by external data developers of several data set specifications in the areas of cancer has been delayed.
• Data element numbers have declined partly due to the above national minimum data sets being superseded and partly due to regular maintenance work by the AIHW to align data elements across sectors, resulting in data elements being used in more collections. During the year, 618 items were changed.

The 1.392 million visits to the AIHW website for 2010–11 was slightly under the target of 1.423 million (see the last indicator in the list below). However, there were also 0.230 million visits to the MyHospitals website, and 0.056 million visits to the Closing the Gap Clearinghouse.

The target of 70 mentions of the AIHW and its products in the Commonwealth Parliament was not achieved. The actual number was 30, reflecting a different counting method that more accurately reflects occasions where the AIHW is mentioned.

Performance against our strategic directions

During 2010–11, the AIHW's activities were guided by five strategic directions agreed by the AIHW Board in 2007 after consultation with key stakeholders and the Institute's staff. They were published in AIHW strategic directions 2007–2010 and are listed below. The directions provided the foundation for establishing and assigning priorities to the AIHW's activities and procedures, to enable it to fulfil its mission, 'Better information and statistics for better health and wellbeing'.

SD1 Strengthening our policy relevance

SD2 Capitalising on the new information environment

SD3 Enhancing data access, protecting privacy

SD4 Getting the messages out better

SD5 Our people—valued, expert and versatile

This section provides a summary of key examples of the AIHW's activities covering the first four strategic directions. In addition, Chapter 3 Our operating units details the achievements of each AIHW unit and collaborating unit against plans identified in the AIHW Work Plan 2010–11 endorsed by the AIHW Board in June 2010. Some specific achievements are highlighted in 'snapshots' throughout the report (see the 'snapshot' list).

Chapter 4 Our people provides details of the AIHW's strategies to recognise and develop the capabilities of its staff. This relates to the fifth strategic direction (SD5).

SD1 Strengthening our policy relevance

Statistics can both drive and serve policy development. The AIHW plays a leading national role in the development and delivery of statistics in the fields of health and welfare. Stakeholders continue to value the AIHW's authoritative reports and other statistical outputs which help to track the progress of Australia's health and welfare systems.

Those involved in making policy and running services on a day-to-day basis have specific, sophisticated and often urgent information requirements. Evidence-based decision making across government requires comprehensive, timely and higher-quality health and welfare information. Under this strategic direction (SD1), the AIHW aims to develop ways of meeting those needs and of ensuring the policy relevance of the statistics and information it collects and reports.

Under this strategic direction (SD1), the AIHW aims to:

• develop stronger engagement with policy agendas at all levels of government and among the wider community
• build its capacity to do further program evaluations that look at outcomes along with throughput
• enhance its whole-of-government and 'life transition' views, by integrating diverse pieces of data and linking data sets
• develop its information and products to address the policy questions at hand, including providing defensible estimates to respond to urgent and important questions
• offer further explanatory services and products for those policy makers using AIHW reports.

New products that strengthen our policy relevance

Developmental work in several areas reached fruition during 2010–11 with the release of, for example, the MyHospitals website, which was one of the AIHW's major achievements in 2010–11 (see the 'snapshot').

Maintaining our policy relevance

During 2010–11, the AIHW accorded a high priority to supporting the National Performance Reporting System—established under COAG— while maintaining a strong focus on the release of new and annual data and metadata that assist policy makers and the broader research and general community.

The COAG-endorsed Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations established a national performance reporting regime to support its reform program. The AIHW is bringing together nationally consistent data from the various jurisdictions and leading the development of performance indicators for four national agreements and associated national partnership agreements:

• National Healthcare Agreement
• National Affordable Housing Agreement
• National Disability Agreement
• National Indigenous Reform Agreement.

The AIHW is responsible for providing data for performance indicator reporting to the SCRGSP for transmission to the COAG Reform Council. The AIHW has worked within the COAG arrangements and with the relevant ministerial councils in developing and specifying the technical detail of indicators and in commencing data development work necessary to ensure that the COAG performance reporting regime is well supported. In addition, it prepares data quality statements that describe the quality attributes of the data based on the ABS's Quality Framework. These tasks involved working collaboratively with relevant agencies and the COAG Reform Council to fulfil the performance reporting requirements and to improve the quality and timeliness of indicator data by resourcing and attending numerous working groups and consultative forums with the objective of securing agreement on performance indicator specifications and their associated data sources and data supply processes.

The AIHW is well positioned to advise on and deliver COAG performance indicator data because of its long-established collaborative leadership position among jurisdictions in the health, housing and community services sectors.

This work also included the development of metadata items supporting the data provided to the COAG Reform Council through the SCRGSP.

The AIHW's publications are listed in Appendix 7 and focus on answering policy-relevant questions wherever possible. These include:

• Cardiovascular Disease: Australian facts 2011, which is produced every 4–5 years
• Housing assistance in Australia, which provides information about the range of housing assistance programs available that was previously published annually for each program separately.

During 2010–11 the AIHW released several publications containing policy-relevant data of a type not previously published in Australia. These include:

• Australian health expenditure by remoteness: a comparison of remote, regional and city health expenditure, which provided a comprehensive examination of spending in remote and regional Australia as compared with urban areas (see the 'snapshot')
• End-stage kidney disease in Australia: total incidence, 2003–2007, which includes a new method for counting, covering people not treated with dialysis or by receiving a transplant as well as—as for past reports— those patients who are being treated
• Health and the environment: a compilation of evidence showing how human health can be positively and negatively influenced by the environment
• the first analysis of information collected through the new Aged Care Funding Instrument with a particular focus on patients with dementia, and the first analysis of older people leaving hospital assisted by the Transition Care Program (see the 'snapshot').

Deliverables and indicators that relate to this strategic direction (SD1) follow.

Data required for COAG reporting were produced on time (PBS deliverable)

Data were provided to the SCRGSP for the second cycle of performance indicator reporting according to an agreed timetable to enable release of the COAG Reform Council report in April 2011.

Reflecting the COAG's emphasis on timely reporting, the AIHW is working with all jurisdictions to improve the timeliness of data supply and to streamline data validation processes. In working to deliver data more quickly, the AIHW remains committed to ensuring that the data are nationally consistent and of sufficient quality for their intended purpose.

AIHW responsibility for the supply of data is dependent on collaborative arrangements with Australian, State and Territory government departments and agencies and the availability of data to the Institute. Having received this data, the AIHW produced collated data for indicators as shown in Table 2 to meet the COAG reporting timetable.

New and improved data items were developed for COAG reporting (PBS deliverable)

The AIHW developed or enhanced the quality of data items in a number of respects, including:

• improving timeliness of administrative data relating to emergency department and elective surgery activity
• improving data quality for key indicators of safety and quality
• in partnership with relevant stakeholders, developing proposed metadata in areas where data gaps exist (for example, radiotherapy waiting times)
• preparing for the launch, on 1 July 2011, of the new SHS data collection, which will better support reporting against COAG objectives relating to homelessness, relative to previous arrangements
• improving reporting of information about Indigenous mortality estimates.

Details of data improvements were published in the COAG Reform Council's 2009–10 National Agreement reports on the National Healthcare Agreement, National Affordable Housing Agreement, National Indigenous Reform Agreement and the National Disability Agreement.

Performance indicator specifications required for COAG reporting were endorsed (PBS deliverable)

Performance indicator specifications in the areas of health, housing and homelessness, disability and Indigenous reform required for the COAG reporting process were endorsed by the relevant national information committees (see Table 2).

The performance indicator specifications used for 2009–10 COAG reporting are available on the National Indicator Catalogue through the AIHW's METeOR website (see the 'snapshot').

Performance indicator data required for the COAG reporting process were provided (PBS deliverable)

Performance indicator data required for the COAG reporting process were provided to the SCRGSP. Details are included in Table 2 and in the 'snapshot'.

Support was provided to national information committees (PBS indicator)

This indicator relates to the AIHW's role in coordinating the collection and production of health and welfare information and statistics from other departments and agencies. The national committees with which the AIHW engages are listed in Appendix 5.

The AIHW chairs and/or provides secretariat support to seven of these committees (listed below) and either secretariat or technical support (or both) to a large number of subsidiary data development groups reporting to them (as detailed in Chapter 3 Our operating units).

• National Health Information Standards and Statistics Committee
• Population Health Information Development Group
• National Disability Information Management Group
• National Community Services Information Management Committee
• Housing and Homelessness Information Management Group
• National Indigenous Reform Agreement Performance Information Management Group
• National Advisory Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Information and Data

Table 2: Performance indicator data supplied for 2008–09 and 2009–10 COAG reporting^(a)

	Indicators for which specifications were endorsed			Indicators for which data were supplied
	2008-09	2009-10		2008-09	2009-10
Health	79(b)	79(b)		48	48
Indigenous reform	26	26		6	6
Disability	11	11		6	5
Housing and homelessness	8	8		3	6

(a) This table covers information requirements variously termed 'indicator', 'benchmark', 'output', 'target', etc. in COAG national agreements and national partnership agreements.
(b) This figure includes nine performance benchmarks for which no data were supplied.

The AIHW was an active participant in these national information committees, which include members drawn from state and territory and Australian Government departments and agencies, and from the non-government sector. It provided extensive support to their work programs, including in relation to their roles in endorsing national data standards that affect the way data are prepared and presented. AIHW received positive feedback from national information committee members and other departmental officers involved in this work.

The AIHW's participation in national information committees provides it with opportunities for extensive consultation with stakeholders and assisted with many of its achievements, detailed elsewhere in this chapter.

SD2 Capitalising on the new information environment

This strategic direction (SD2) aims to ensure that the AIHW capitalises on new developments in the information environment that will maintain and enhance the quality of its statistics and information on Australia's health and welfare. The AIHW's success as a leading data collection and reporting agency depends on its flexibility and capacity to seize opportunities while minimising risk in this rapidly changing environment. In particular the AIHW focuses on information technology infrastructure that will support high quality and timely data collection, analysis and reporting. It also focuses on innovative use of online communication tools designed to allow it to publish its work in a variety of formats to meet user requirements (see 'SD4 Getting the messages out better').

Under this strategic direction (SD2), the AIHW aims to:

• support informed debate about health and welfare services and their delivery by publishing reports on health and welfare matters affecting Australians
• stay in close touch with key changes in the information environment and their implications for policy, including new data sources and methods that will better support policy
• build our technical and analytical capacity to capitalise on those changes
• examine the potential to fill information gaps through sources that have so far been underused, such as some service administration data, registers and surveys
• build and promote the Institute's expertise with metadata so it can enhance the whole statistical chain, from data gathering through to analysis and reporting
• help lead the thinking about how Australia's health and welfare statistical system can take advantage of the changing information environment.

New projects that capitalise on the contemporary information environment

During 2010–11, the AIHW successfully delivered several high profile products that capitalised on the contemporary information environment and represent a significant advance in the AIHW's ICT and information reporting capabilities.

MyHospitals website

During the second half of 2010, the AIHW's ICT and Online Communications units, in collaboration with specialist staff and other internal/external stakeholders, contributed the technical infrastructure required for the MyHospitals website (see the 'snapshot').

Online hospital data Validata®

During 2010–11, the AIHW's ICT units, in collaboration with the Institute's Hospitals Unit and relevant state and territory departments, successfully piloted and released an online data Validata^® for formal supply of hospital related data. This initiative led to immediate and significant improvements in the timeliness and quality of the resulting data supply. The project also delivered on two key corporate objectives:

• speeding up the supply of hospital data to meet the shorter times for the reporting of hospital data required by COAG
• demonstrating that AIHW's core framework technologies can be used for online automated validation of data.

The online hospital validator project succeeded beyond expectations in speeding up the supply of hospital data. It also marked the first step towards a corporate-wide validator which, based on its impact on the timeliness and quality of hospital data, will have a significant positive effect across all collections in future years. The success of the Validata^® led to its selection for use with the SHS system.

The Validata® will be expanded to support the next hospital data collection period (see the 'snapshot').

Specialist Homelessness Services System

During 2010–11, AIHW's ICT units, in collaboration with the Institute's Housing and Homelessness Group, commenced development of an online system for lodging and validating homelessness data. The project represented a significant commitment of information technology (IT) resources and has made a significant contribution to enhancing the organisation's IT capability (see the 'snapshot').

The system is based on the Validator^® and will facilitate the adoption of validator technology across the AIHW.

The development of the SHS System has expanded the Institute's knowledge of and experience in Microsoft SharePoint, a technology relatively new to the AIHW but one that is expected to provide other benefits across the organisation.

The system is the first adopted by the AIHW to require the implementation of a range of servers to support the full software development lifecycle. As a result, end users are expected to see improvements in quality and stability of the system which will also lead to a reduction in the maintenance and administration overhead for IT staff. These benefits will accrue to other AIHW systems as they are migrated to or developed on the new infrastructure.

The following deliverables and indicators describe AIHW's performance in maintaining its information infrastructure during 2010–11.

Production of national data standards was supported (PBS deliverable)

The AIHW has a central role in developing metadata relevant to health, health services and welfare services that are suitable for use as national data standards. It works collaboratively with the registering authorities from which national endorsement is required.

By developing applicable national data standards, data sets and metadata, the Institute supports its health, housing and community services data collections.

The AIHW has a commitment to maintaining its METeOR registry—for the development, registration and dissemination of metadata for national data standards.

To support the increased demand for performance indicators under the COAG intergovernmental agreements, a module in METeOR now stores information about the concepts, sources and computation methods that underpin the indicators.

Work has continued in collaboration with the National E-Health Transition Authority to assess the implications of the development of e-health for statistical collections in the future. This included analyses of the future data supply chain and the statistical implications of key elements of the e-health agenda such as data terminologies, the individual e-health record and the discharge summary.

Data standards were loaded to METeOR (PBS deliverable)

This deliverable is measured by timely access to up-to-date national data standards for the health, community services and housing sectors.

During 2010–11, the AIHW made available online in METeOR all health, community services and housing data standards, which had been endorsed as national standards, within 30 days of endorsement, including those to appear in the National health data dictionary and the National community services data dictionary.

New versions of data dictionaries were published

Endorsed standards are made available to the public as data dictionaries (see the 'snapshot' below). The Institute generates national data dictionaries from the METeOR registry.

This deliverable is measured by adherence to milestones toward publication of new versions of the national data dictionaries—detailing new and revised data standards—and the online release of update compilations of these national data standards. The reference points are two-yearly publication of new versions of the national data dictionaries and twice-yearly production, if necessary, of online updates of these dictionaries.

During the year, the AIHW:

• finalised and published the National health data dictionary version 15: including a summary of updates made since Version 14 (from July 2008 to June 2010)
• published an update of the National health data dictionary version 15: Summary of updates since Version 15 (from July 2010 to March 2011)
• finalised and published the National community services data dictionary version 6: including a summary of updates made since Version 5 (from July 2008 to June 2010)
• published an update of the National community services data dictionary version 6: Summary of updates since Version 6 (from July 2010 – March 2011).

ICT capability was enhanced

A new data analytics platform and operating system

In August 2010, the ICT units finalised a six-month project to migrate the AIHW to a new data analytics platform—a new version of SAS. The Institute will realise a number of benefits from the new platform, including a more user-friendly point and click interface to SAS, making the platform more widely available to staff who have varying levels of SAS experience.

Successful rollout of a new operating system—a new version of Microsoft Office—was also a significant achievement during 2010–11.

Reduction of the number of different data analysis toolsets

During the year the AIHW expanded its SAS analytical capacity to support increased staff numbers and the size of the collections. Staff have already experienced productivity gains through reduced running times of data analyses. It is also scalable to support future analysis requirements.

During 2010–11, the IT Services Unit introduced several initiatives to support staff in their use of the new SAS platform.

• An expanded internally developed and conducted training program. In 2010–11, 217 staff received full-day training in 27 separate sessions.
• Expansion of the SAS team in the IT Services Unit. The team provides SAS support to staff, undertakes data processing work for line areas and administers the SAS system. It also undertakes research and development to identify opportunities for other benefits potentially available through the SAS platform.
• Monthly meetings of user groups to enable staff to share knowledge and provide feedback on a regular basis and to assist the IT Services Unit in identifying priorities for future enhancements. The user groups are run by the SAS team, which provides presentations and expert advice to staff.

Migration of online data cubes

In February 2011, the ICT units commenced a project to migrate existing online-accessible data cubes to the new SAS platform. The migration will make it easier for staff to produce and maintain cubes and yielded benefits through technology rationalisation. The project is planned for completion during 2011–12.

The IT Services Unit commenced a project to investigate and evaluate related SAS data dissemination technologies and to identify additional opportunities for SAS to support the AIHW's strategic directions.

Improving the report production process

In February 2011, IT Services Unit commenced a project designed to reduce the level of staff resources required to compile and update data tables and graphs in AIHW publications. The project is expected to reap efficiencies across the AIHW's collection and reporting units and will enable the Institute to capitalise on new features available to the AIHW following recent updates to SAS and Microsoft technologies. The project is planned for completion during 2011–12.

SD3 Enhancing data access, protecting privacy

Proper enforcement of privacy enhances data access by instilling confidence in the provider and subjects of the information collected. The AIHW has in place a powerful and unique combination of privacy measures, ranging from the specific protection of the AIHW Act and the Privacy Act 1988, to a variety of strict protocols and systems used to manage its data collections.

This strategic direction (SD3) aims to enhance data access to support research, policy and program development in the public interest while ensuring that the personal information of every Australian is protected. The contemporary focus on citizen-centred government, for example through the Government 2.0 reforms, emphasises greater public accessibility to government data and information.

Under this strategic direction (SD3), the AIHW has aimed to:

• take a strong stance on privacy, promoting the Institute's unique privacy protection arrangements along with the benefits of information for national wellbeing
• take a leading role in promoting the benefits of enhanced access to information and in exploring measures to enhance accessibility
• maintain and apply its knowledge of developments in technology and other approaches that enhance accessibility, as well as developments in privacy legislation
• continue to refuse requests for information when they threaten privacy or do not follow the conditions set by those supplying the base data
• take a leading national role in explaining that privacy and access are mutually beneficial
• negotiate to bring more health and welfare data sets under its protective umbrella and to provide greater access to them.

The following deliverables and indicators measure the AIHW's success in improving the communication and accessibility of its information and messages to the community during 2010–11.

Statistical information was published (PBS deliverable)

The AIHW makes its products available free on the internet to the greatest extent possible consistent with the need to protect the privacy of individuals and service agencies. Printed copies of many publications can be purchased.

During the year the AIHW published 135 reports on the nation's health, housing and community services sectors, all of which are available free on the AIHW website www.aihw.gov.au. This is an increase of 17 reports on 2009–10.

All publications were made available in Portable Document Format and an additional Rich Text Format, which facilitates access by those with impaired vision.

Key reports were presented (PBS deliverable)

This deliverable relates to AIHW's legislated obligation to publish Australia's welfare 2011, Australia's health 2012 and the AIHW's Annual report 2009–10 and provide them to the Minister within the timeframes required by legislation and to the Minister's satisfaction. It is measured by adherence to planned milestones toward completion and the level of expressed ministerial satisfaction. Adherence to the timetables for planning and preparation of drafts for external review by expert referees is also measured.

Neither Australia's welfare 2011 nor Australia's health 2012 were published in 2010–11. However, preparation for each begins 15–18 months before release and so work was undertaken during the year. Both publications are highly regarded as key national reference works in the health and welfare fields (see Table 14, Table 16 and 'Feedback on the effectiveness of products').

The timetable for the preparation of Australia's welfare 2011 was met and planning for Australia's health 2012 is underway.

The AIHW's Annual report 2009–10 was presented to the Minister on 13 October 2010 and tabled in the Australian Parliament on 27 October 2010.

Users downloaded Australia's health and Australia's welfare (PBS indicator)

This indicator measures the AIHW's progress towards its objective of providing free high-quality information for Australians on health and welfare matters.

During 2010–11, there were:

• 18,000 downloads of Australia's health 2010 (released June 2010) from the AIHW's website
• 1,390 downloads of Australia's welfare 2009 (released November 2009) from the AIHW's website.

Datasets were made publically available (PBS deliverable)

For some data collections, users can query the data online and obtain tabulated results. These online data holdings are user-friendly and continually updated. For example, interactive Excel workbooks containing comprehensive long-term deaths data are available—for a broad range of causes of death by age and sex on an annual basis—including the General Record of Incidence of Mortality (GRIM) books, Burden of Disease books and Australian Cancer Incidence and Mortality (ACIM) books.

There are national-level interactive data sets covering 22 subject areas and metadata collections covering five subject areas relevant to health, housing and community services, available on the AIHW's website.

In addition, supplementary data linked to reports are available on the website in Excel spread sheets.

Metadata were made available on METeOR (PBS deliverable)

Metadata was held online in METeOR at 30 June 2011 for 4,160 standard metadata items, of which:

• 23 are national minimum data sets
• 25 are other data set specifications
• 1,168 are data elements
• 4 are indicator sets
• 129 are indicators (see the 'snapshot').

During 2010–11, 618 standard metadata items have changed in METeOR. This includes:

• revision of 12 national minimum data sets, and the creation of one
• revision of 44 data elements, and the creation of 63
• revision of 105 indicators, and the creation of 24
• revision of 87 data quality statements.

COAG indicator work was a substantial driver of the data development program of work in METeOR for the indicators and quality statements.

User-friendly, accessible data snapshots were published online

During the year, the AIHW published a data snapshot on asthma in an online-accessible Hypertext Markup Language format (see the 'snapshot'). Other data snapshots are in preparation.

Researchers were provided with access to data

This indicator measures the effectiveness of the AIHW's objectives of enabling researchers to have good and timely access to health and welfare information and statistics, and of supporting legislative requirements related to ethical clearances.

The AIHW has legislative obligations to support ethical research by bona fide researchers through controlled access to its data sets while, at the same time, protecting Australians' privacy. This obligation aligns with the Australian Government's commitment to improve the use of data to inform policy directions, research and evaluation of programs.

The AIHW Ethics Committee approves applications, largely from researchers associated with universities, medical research institutes and hospitals around the country, to undertake research using AIHW-held data (see for example the 'snapshot').

During the year, the AIHW Ethics Committee approved 67 applications, 52 of which were external applications (see Table 7). Three projects submitted by external applicants were not approved.

Guidelines for Ethics Committee submissions were reviewed (PBS deliverable)

A review of the AIHW Ethics Committee arrangements was undertaken during 2010–11 (see the 'snapshot'), one of the objectives of which was to enhance access to AIHW data by researchers, within the AIHW's privacy framework. The review's recommendations were accepted by the AIHW Board at its meeting in June 2011.

In providing access to its data, the AIHW ensures that custodial and ethics approval processes conform to national human research ethics requirements, national privacy legislation, the AIHW Act, policy directions for national health and welfare information, and any new custodial arrangements arising from national information agreements.

Data were released to the extent possible given privacy issues (PBS indicator)

Exploratory and developmental work was undertaken during 2010–11 on methodologies for the delivery of statistical products (such as tables, data cubes and confidentialised unit record files) in a manner that both protects privacy and supports analysis and research.

The AIHW also further developed its capacity to fill information gaps through the continued enhancement of data linkage and analytical methodologies, including support for the production of COAG performance indicators to be derived from linked data. Whole-of-government and life-transition views of Australians' health and welfare were enhanced by the AIHW's analyses of linked data recording the care pathways of older Australians (see the 'snapshot').

Feedback regarding data releases was positive. 89% of respondents to short online reader surveys considered the AIHW's reports 'useful' (see 'Feedback on the effectiveness of products').

No breaches of privacy occurred relating to release of confidential data.

SD4 Getting the messages out better

The AIHW has a strong reputation for delivering quality information and statistical products to a range of audiences including the general public, government, the media, commentators and researchers. It also aims to make them easily available and in a variety of formats that suit various and diverse needs. The AIHW has continued to explain the concepts that underpin its analyses, and the interpretations that those data will or will not support to allow users to make good sense of the information in those products.

Under this strategic direction (SD4), the AIHW has aimed to:

• consult users, including policy makers about the best ways to reach them and to present messages that fit their various needs
• consider the variety, modes of delivery, style and detail of our products
• explore new ways to deliver information straight to users, at their desktops
• similarly, explore new ways of helping users to find the information they need and to understand the meaning and quality of the data
• keep developing better ways of distilling statistics into digestible key messages.

The AIHW maintained its emphasis on improving its communications during 2010–11 (see Chapter 5 Our communications) and reviewed the structure of some of its key publications.

The following deliverables and indicators relate to how well the AIHW improved the communication of its messages to the community, and their accessibility during 2010–11.

Major annual publications were reviewed (PBS deliverable)

The content and presentation of data in four publications were reviewed:

• Australia's health 2010
• the Australia's welfare report that is due for release at the end of 2011
• Cancer in Australia 2010: an overview
• Australian hospital statistics 2009–10

Each of these was released—or will be released— with a companion 'in brief' publication.

Key messages in report publications were improved (PBS deliverable)

This deliverable relates to improving the readability and communication of key messages in AIHW publications.

93% of respondents to short online reader surveys considered the AIHW's publications 'clearly written' (see 'Feedback on the effectiveness of products').

The level of media coverage of AIHW's reports rose slightly in 2010–11 compared with 2009–10 (see 'Media relations').

The AIHW website was upgraded (PSB deliverable)

Changes to the AIHW website's structure, content and graphics were implemented in the form of a new website, supported by an upgrade of the web infrastructure (see 'Website and intranet redevelopment').

A key feature of the upgraded AIHW website was an enhanced search capability for the publications catalogue, the need for which had been previously identified through telephone surveys.

Users visited the AIHW website for published reports (PBS indicator)

This indicator relates to provision of access to the AIHW's information and analyses through the contemporary information environment. The AIHW website continued to be the AIHW's major communication medium for the provision of published reports and for downloading data. All AIHW publications were made available free on the AIHW website www.aihw.gov.au.

Nearly 1.4 million 'visits' were made to the AIHW website in 2010–11, an increase of 5.5% on 2009–10.

The media and Parliament referenced AIHW published reports (PBS indicator)

This indicator relates to the provision of free, high quality information through the contemporary information environment and the informing of public debate through use of the Institute's information and analyses.

There were 4,174 media references to the AIHW in 2010–11, a slight increase on 2009–10 (see Table 15).

There were 30 references to the AIHW in the parliamentary debates of the Senate and the House of Representatives in 2010–11. The AIHW is well referenced in the proceedings of state and territory parliaments (see Table 17) and in the reports of Senate committees.

Information in new formats were released

The AIHW released several publications in 2010–11 that provide information in new formats, for example:

• 'in brief' companion publications for several of the AIHW's major publications (see for example the 'snapshots').
• data snapshot material released online in formats suitable for those with visual impairments and with clear, well-written messages for everyone (see for example the 'snapshot').

Ongoing information formats

The new formats mentioned above supplement annual and other releases of information as publications available on the internet and in print, as online-accessible (often interactive) data sets and as education resources for the secondary education sector, to which teachers can self-subscribe (see Chapter 5 Our communications).

Our financial performance

How we are funded

In 2010–11, the AIHW received 40% of its funding as an appropriation from the Australian Parliament. Most of the remaining revenue is for the delivery of specific projects for Australian and, to a lesser extent, state and territory government departments and agencies.

A summary of the financial performance of the AIHW follows. Further details are provided in Appendix 9.

Income and expenditure

The AIHW's appropriation income from the Australian Parliament was $21.4 million in 2010–11, an increase of 3% or $0.7 million over 2009–10 (Table 3 and Figure 4). This increase was due to a small increase in funding for COAG performance reporting offset by a small decrease in funding for work on closing Indigenous data gaps.

Income from externally funded projects totalled $31.4 million for 2010–11, an increase of 26% on the previous year. Most of this income came from Australian Government departments, notably the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).

Interest income was 52% higher in 2010–11 than in 2009–10. In 2010–11, the AIHW had higher cash balances and higher rates of interest on term deposits compared with the previous year.

Employee-related expenditure was higher in 2010–11 ($35.1 million) than in 2009–10 ($28.4 million, Table 3). This was due to increased salary rates and increased staff numbers (see Table 8). There were also additional costs in accommodating staff.

The overall result was a small surplus of $0.13 million.

Balance sheet

Financial assets totalled $27.1 million in 2010-11, a decrease of $1.0 million on the previous year (Table 4). This was mainly due to a decrease in income received in advance for externally funded projects.

All excess cash has been invested in term deposits in accordance with the AIHW's investment policy.

Liabilities in 2010-11 ($24.6 million) were lower than 2009-10 ($25.9 million) due to decreased income received in advance offset by higher leave provisions due to increased staff numbers.

Total equity increased marginally from $6.0 million to $6.1 million. This was due to the surplus for the year.

Cash flow

Net cash received from operating activities was $0.3 million in 2010-11. Both cash inflows and outflows were higher because more contract work was being undertaken. The AIHW spent $0.8 million on the purchase of property, plant and equipment, and leasehold improvements compared to $1.2 million in 2009-10. The net cash decrease in the year was $0.6 million, reducing the cash balance from $18.8 million to $18.2 million (see the cash flow statement in Financial assets totalled $27.1 million in 2010–11, Appendix 9).

Financial outlook

Income from externally funded projects is expected to increase in 2011-12 compared with 2010-11 (see Figure 3). Appropriation income from the Australian Parliament will decrease by $4.0 million in 2011-12 due to the cessation of funding for COAG data development work at the end of 2010-11. The decrease was offset by a small increase in funding for Closing the Data Gap work. Appropriation income will then remain relatively stable in subsequent years.

The AIHW's total expenditure in 2011-12 is expected to be similar to that for 2010-11. This is due to an anticipated increase in external income which will offset the drop in appropriation income.

The value of land and buildings is expected to decrease in 2011-12 due to the depreciation of fit-out costs over the term of the remaining lease. No other significant changes in the balance sheet items are expected.

Table 3: Income and expenditure, 2007-08 to 2010-11 ($'000)

	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	Change: 2009-10 to 2010-11	2010-11
Appropriation revenue	8,678	9,325	20,708	▲	21,408
Revenue for project work for external agencies	20,227	22,278	24,944	▲	31,398
Interest	539	741	754	▲	1,146
Other revenue	156	3	39	▼	0
Total revenue	29,600	32,347	46,445	▲	53,952
Employee-related expenditure	18,437	21,860	28,375	▲	35,124
Other expenditure	11,927	10,348	15,893	▲	18,694
Total expenditure	30,364	32,208	44,268	▲	53,818
Surplus (or deficit)	(764)	139	2,177	▼	134

Figure 4: Revenue sources, 2001-02 to 2010-11

Table 4: Balance sheet summary, 2007-08 to 2010-11 ($'000)

	Actual 2007-08	Actual 2008-09	Actual 2009-10	Change 2009-10 to 2010-11	Actual 2010-11
Financial assets	13,319	18,011	28,156	▼	27,113
Non-financial assets	3,208	2,720	3,745	▼	3,563
Total assets	16,527	20,731	31,901	▼	30,676
Provisions	4,929	5,590	7,895	▼	9,199
Payables	10,184	13,558	18,021	▼	15,358
Total liabilities	15,113	19,178	25,916	▼	24,557
Equity	1,414	1,553	5,985	▲	6,119

Further compliance with legislation

Freedom of information

The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) requires each Commonwealth Government agency to publish a statement setting out its role, structure and functions, the categories of documents available for public inspection and information on how to access these documents. This statement is available in Appendix 8.

In 2010–11, there was one request for access to records under the FOI Act, which was refused.

There were no requests for internal review made during the year.

Commonwealth Ombudsman

No new matters relating to the AIHW were referred to, or raised with, the Commonwealth Ombudsman's Office during 2010–11.

Judicial decisions and decisions of administrative tribunals

In 2010–11, there were no legal actions lodged against the AIHW and no judicial decisions directly affecting the Institute.

Advertising and market research

Section 311A of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 requires certain reporting on advertising and market research by Commonwealth agencies, including those covered by the Public Service Act 1999.

During 2010–11, the AIHW paid $23,915 (GST inclusive) to Adcorp Australia, a media marketing organisation that placed recruitment and tender notices on behalf of the AIHW. No advertising campaigns were undertaken.