Access to data for research purposes

Page content: Overview | Enquiries

Overview

The Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity (CCOPMM) undertakes extensive data collection on perinatal, infant, child (up to, but not including, their 18th birthday), and maternal mortality. The Victorian Perinatal Data Collection contains information on all Victorian births from 20 weeks of gestation since 1982. The Victorian Birth Defects Register collects information on all birth defects for live births, stillbirths and terminations of pregnancy occurring since 1982.

The CCOPMM provides access to data to medical professionals for statistical and research purposes; however, the CCOPMM is restricted by Regulation 10 of the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2009 and can not release information which identifies any patient, practitioner or institution, without the appropriate consents being obtained.

  1. All requests for unpublished information should be provided in writing – Research data request form
  2. A copy of the request will be forwarded to the CCOPMM representative for approval
    The CCOPMM's main consideration is the confidentiality of the information i.e. that information released will not identify individual mothers, babies, practitioners or hospitals
  3. Once approval for the release of the data is received the requested data are extracted and sent (within 4-6 weeks, depending on the nature of the request)
  4. Any formal proposal involving extensive perinatal data provision must conform to the National Health and Medical Research Council National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2007. Before the project can begin, a properly constituted Human Research Ethics Committee must have given approval.
  5. Decisions from CCOPMM cannot be appealed. Whilst a project may have ethics approval and comply with the requirements for submission, it will not necessarily be approved; this may be due to issues such as lack of legislative compliance or lack of resources. In this circumstance the application can be resubmitted.

Enquiries

Telephone:
National (03) 9096 2693 or 1300 858 505
International (61 3) 9096 2693

Fax:
National (03) 9096 2700
International (61 3) 9096 2700

Email: perinatal.data@health.vic.gov.au