Each year the Department of Health reviews the data elements and format of its key health services data collections.
This review - the annual change process - seeks to ensure that health data collected in Victoria:
- supports the department's state and national reporting obligations
- assists planning and policy development
- reflects changes in hospital funding and service provision arrangements for the coming financial year
- incorporates appropriate feedback from data providers on improvements.
The annual change process is managed by the Health Services Data and is governed by the Department's Annual Changes Governance Committee (ACGC).
The annual change process
This year, 2025/2026, the change review process will consider those changes deferred from last year’s annual review. Only the department will be able to propose new changes for 2025-26 and these will be limited to those that are essential to meet our national reporting obligations or key government priorities.
This targeted process will give health services time to consolidate significant changes implemented in 2024-25 (including reporting of sex at birth and gender).
Annual changes are approved by the Deputy Secretary, Commissioning and System Improvement based upon recommendations by the ACGC.
The approved changes are documented as specifications for revisions and are distributed (through the HDSS distribution list) no later than 31 December each year for implementation by 1 July of the following year. The specification documents are published by mid-January each year.
Notification of any additional changes is published in the HDSS Bulletin.
Specifications for revisions to data collections for 2024-25
Addenda and errata to specifications for revisions for 2024-25
The addendum and errata documents provide additional information about revisions to the respective data collections for 2024-25. They should be read in conjunction with the specifications for revision for 2024-25.
Annual changes 2024-25 proposals
Archive
For last year's revision, visit Annual changes archive.
Reviewed 12 September 2024