Population Health Information Development Group (PHIDG)

PHIDG members only access

PHIDG has been established to 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:

• develop the infrastructure for population health information;
• increase the scope, quality and coverage of population health data collections;
• encourage the analysis of population health data to answer policy relevant questions and to generate new knowledge; and
• enhance 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 at 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.

Chair

Professor Jim Hyde (Department of Health, Victoria)

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

Templates

• PHIDG agenda paper template

Secretariat

Contact details

Contact the secretariat for more information.