Population Health Information Development Group (PHIDG)

PHIDG has been established in align with the principles and practices of the National Health Information Agreement (NHIA). PHIDG provides advice to the Australian Population Health Development Principal Committee (APHDPC) on national public health information issues, particularly in relation to priorities and opportunities for new and enhanced public health information resources.

The role of PHIDG is to support the development of a sound information base for the population health agenda in Australia.

Terms of reference

The functions of the PHIDG are to:

developing the infrastructure for public health information;
increasing the scope, quality and coverage of public health data collections;
encouraging the analysis of public health data to answer policy-relevant questions and to generate new knowledge; and
enhancing the transfer of knowledge to decision-makers and the public.

Specific tasks of PHIDG are to:

Support the development, collection, analysis and interpretation of nationally consistent population health information for:

monitoring trends in the health and wellbeing of the community;

monitoring progress in addressing inequalities in health;

monitoring health determinants (risk and protective factors);

assessing risks of adverse health effects associated with certain determinants , and the positive effects associated with protective factors;

helping to establish priorities for investments in interventions aimed a modifying health determinants

monitoring and evaluating the implementation of these interventions, their cost and their outcomes; and

surveillance of emerging health issues.

Provide expertise in the use of monitoring and surveillance techniques to measure the health and wellbeing of the Australian population;
Promote and support national consistency in key population health and related data collections;
Identify deficiencies and gaps in scope, coverage, access analysis and application of population health data collection; and
Monitor trends in the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Co-Chairs

Dr Chris Brook (Department of Human Services, Victoria)

Dr Penny Allbon (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare)

Membership

PHIDG members are representatives (one from each) of:

each state and territory health department;
the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing;
the Australian Bureau of Statistics; and
the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

The Public Health Information Development Unit (PHIDU) of the University of Adelaide also supports PHIDG members at meetings.

Parent committee

Australian Population Health Development Principal Committee (APHDPC)

APHDPC is a principal committee of the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Committee (AHMAC). AHMAC reports to the Australian Health Ministers Conference (AHMC).

Business rules

PHIDG business rules as at January 2007

Templates

PHIDG agenda paper template

Secretariat

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
P: 02 6244 1194 F: 02 6244 1111
AIHW Building, Fern Hill Park 26 Thynne Street, Bruce ACT GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601