National Newborn Hearing Screening Data Development Committee

Terms of reference

The National Newborn Hearing Screening Data Development Committee (NNHSDDC):

• advises the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) on the scope of and development of data items for inclusion in a national data collection for neonatal hearing screening
• reviews and recommends data items for inclusion, modification or deletion in the Metadata Online Registry (METEOR), to form a National Best Endeavours Data Set (NBEDS) for neonatal hearing screening, via the National Health Data and Information Standards Committee (NHDISC)
• advises the AIHW on state and territory data collection processes relating to neonatal hearing screening
• advises on the costs and timing of implementing proposed new data items for national reporting, including the capacity and preparedness of the jurisdictions and other relevant bodies/agencies to collect and provide these data as part of the NBEDS
• promotes the use of national data standards in relevant local and national data collections.
• advises on the revision of national performance indicators for neonatal hearing screening
• advises on the content and structure of draft AIHW reports relating to neonatal hearing screening data
• ensures that data shared between jurisdictions for information, review and clearance purposes is confidential.

In addition to the responsibilities outlined above, individual committee members:

• consult with relevant stakeholders within their jurisdictions in a timely manner (for example, clinicians, data providers) and keep their state/territory NHDISC representative informed of data item development as required
• promote the NNHSDDC as a national expert body on neonatal hearing screening data
• provide comments on papers/issues in the timeframe agreed to (if a jurisdiction has no comment, this should be conveyed to the Secretariat).

The AIHW has additional responsibility for:

• developing and managing a work program based on agreed priorities
• seeking expert clinical and/or technical advice from relevant clinical experts and other relevant bodies/agencies as necessary on behalf of the NNHSDDC
• providing advice on known developments in other related national committees or projects
• following data development guidelines of METEOR.

Membership

The NNHSDDC consists of a representative from each state and territory health authority/organisation and the AIHW, with observers and temporary members invited on a transitory basis as their expertise is required.

Secretariat

Secretariat support is provided by the AIHW Maternal and Perinatal Health Unit.