This page provides information for state and territory health departments involved in collecting and transmitting data for the National Opioid Pharmacotherapy Statistics Annual Data (NOPSAD) collection.
When do I submit data?
The timetable for data submissions for the 2026 collection is outlined below. Final sign-off of your data submission is due in December 2026.
Description | Responsibility | Key dates |
|---|---|---|
Formal request to jurisdictions for data submissions for the 2026 collection | AIHW | 1 September 2026 |
2026 NOPSAD Validata tool made available to jurisdictions | AIHW | 1 September 2026 |
Initial submission due to the AIHW | Jurisdictions | September/October 2026 |
Processing of submissions, data cleaning and review of data | Jurisdictions AIHW | October/November 2026 |
Jurisdictions provide final sign-off for 2026 data submissions | Jurisdictions | 1 December 2026 |
Were there any changes for the 2026 collection?
No changes in 2026.
Where do I find data collection and submission materials?
Data submissions to the AIHW for the 2026 collection opened on 1 September 2026, with final sign-off by jurisdictions due on 1 December 2026. This collection period will include data from June 2026.
User documentation for 2025 data submissions
- 2026 NOPSAD Data Guide (PDF 740KB)
- 2026 NOPSAD Validata User Manual – unit record data (PDF 1.3MB)
- 2026 NOPSAD Validata format guide – unit record data (PDF 261KB)
Please contact [email protected] if you require the 2026 NOPSAD Validata User Manual for aggregate data.
Data submission process to the AIHW
The AIHW requires NOPSAD data to be supplied in CSV format, with each row representing a single record. This enables submitted data to be entered into the AIHW validation tool (Validata).
The following steps outline the key components of the data submission process:
- When the collection opens in September 2026, the AIHW will invite jurisdictions to submit their 2026 data (AIHW to provide all relevant documentation, access to the Validata and a link to the NOPSAD Data submitters collection web page).
- Once data submitters have access to the NOPSAD Validata tool, data can be uploaded in CSV format for editing.
- Validata performs a number of data quality checks against each record and outputs a report listing errors/edits where the data needs to be amended or confirmed that it is correct.
- The jurisdiction applies corrections to the source data and continues to upload files until the data is ‘clean’ for each data file (client, prescriber, dosing point site).
- Once the data are ‘clean’, the jurisdiction can press the ‘submit’ button for each clean file.
- The submit function alerts the AIHW to perform a few additional checks to approve the final data submitted for the jurisdiction. The AIHW will then proceed via email to confirm the frequency counts with the jurisdiction and request formal ‘sign off’ to approve their jurisdiction data. The finalised data can be incorporated into the national NOPSAD data set for reporting.
- Once all jurisdictions sign off on their 2026 NOPSAD data, the data are incorporated into a national data set, analysed, and used for the 2026 NOPSAD report.
Data entry sheet
This workbook contains the correct codes for the 2026 collection for unit record data submissions. Please contact [email protected] should you require a workbook for aggregate data submissions.
The AIHW requires a separate file for each of client, prescriber, and dosing point data.
Who do I contact for further information?
Please direct all enquiries to [email protected].