Notifiable Conditions Information
Management System
Health Protection NSW
Background
Under the Public Health Act 2010, laboratories, hospitals, medical practitioners, schools, and
child care centres must notify NSW Health or their local public health unit of diagnoses of
certain infectious diseases and adverse events following immunisation. These notifications
are compiled into the Notifiable Conditions Information Management System (NCIMS),
which is managed by the Communicable Diseases Branch of Health Protection NSW. A full
list of conditions that are notifiable is available at:
www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/Pages/notification.
For a condition to be notified, a patient must seek medical help, be diagnosed with the
condition, have the appropriate laboratory tests, and then the diagnosis must be reported
to the local public health unit or the Ministry of Health.
Limitations
For most diseases, the notification data represent only a proportion of the total cases
occurring in the community, that is, only those cases for which health care was sought, a
test conducted and a diagnosis made, followed by a notification to health authorities. The
degree of under-representation of all cases is unknown and may vary by disease and
geographic location.
In interpreting these data it is important to note that changes in notifications over time may
not solely reflect changes in disease prevalence or incidence. Changes in testing policies;
screening programs, including the preferential testing of high risk populations; the use of
less invasive and more sensitive diagnostic tests; and periodic awareness campaigns may
influence the number of notifications that occur over time.
Tips for using NCIMS data in linkage studies
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1
Notification data from 1993 has been incorporated into the Master Linkage Key.
HIV/AIDS data are not included in the NCIMS data. Investigators wishing to carry out
research in HIV/AIDS should seek approval from the NCIMS data custodian for access to
the HIV/AIDS database.
Not all records from NCIMS are considered linkable (eg do not include valid identifying
information to submit for linkage).
- On average, 1.8% of records were not submitted for linkage between 1993-2011
- Records for young people aged 15-24, adults 25-39, and the elderly aged 85 were
over represented in those excluded from linkage.
- Records for people with sexually transmitted infections and blood borne virus had a
higher proportion of invalid identifiers than other conditions and were excluded
from linkage
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Access to information on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
An application to the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC) ethics
committee should be made for research projects for which one or more of the following
apply:
 The experience of Aboriginal people is an explicit focus of all or part of the research
 Data collection is explicitly directed at Aboriginal peoples
 Aboriginal peoples, as a group, are to be examined in the results
 The information has an impact on one or more Aboriginal communities
 Aboriginal health funds are a source of funding
Information on making applications to the AH&MRC Ethics Committee may be found at the
AH&MRC website at: www.ahmrc.org.au. Further advice regarding release of Aboriginal
Health Information can be obtained from the Centre for Aboriginal Health, NSW Ministry of
Health.
Data custodian
Paula Spokes
Manager, Surveillance
Health Protection NSW
Locked Bag 961
NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2059
Phone: 02 9391 9869
Email: pspok@doh.health.nsw.gov.au
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Notifiable Conditions Information Management System
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NCIMS Variable information – Incident Cases data
Variable
Age at onset (years)
Sex
Description/Notes
Codes
Indigenous Status
Country of Birth
Language spoken at home
Condition Notified
Site of infection
Person Deceased?
Condition caused person’s
death?
Symptom onset date
Symptomatic
Date first notified
3
Coded according to the NCIMS modification of the ABS
Standard Australian Country Codes
Coded according to the NCIMS modification of the ABS
Standard Classification of Languages
Conditions that are notifiable are listed on the Department of
Health website at:
www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/Pages/notification
Multiple sites may be reported
Flag to indicate if the notifiable disease was the cause of death
1 = Male
2 = Female
3 = Indeterminate
4 = Transgender
9 = Unknown
1 = Aboriginal but not Torres Strait Islander
2 = Torres Strait Islander but not Aboriginal
3 = Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
4 = Neither Aboriginal nor Torres Strait
9 = Not stated
If a specific country is of interest, please specify
If a specific country is of interest, please specify
See Attachment 1
Yes/No/Not stated
Yes/No/Not stated
Date of first symptom onset
Yes/No/Not stated
Date first notified by any notifier
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Variable
Date of notification
Date of onset
Date notification received
Specimen date
Type of specimen
Notifier
Description/Notes
There can be multiple notification dates for the same person
with the same disease when notifications are received from
several notifiers
Date of onset of symptoms or date of diagnosis as provided by
the notifier (doctor, hospital, lab, other). As onset dates of
tuberculosis are not possible to determine precisely, the
provisional diagnosis date is used if no onset date is entered.
Date the Public Health Unit received the notification. Provided
for dates received from the doctor, hospital, lab and other
source
Date the specimen was taken
Either doctor, hospital, laboratory, other source or some
combination of these. There can be multiple notifiers for the
same person with the same disease
Method of identification
The method of identification
Laboratory confirmed?
Whether the disease notification was confirmed by a laboratory
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Codes
See Attachment 2
01 = Chest clinic
02 = Child care Director
03 = Doctor
04 = Hospital
05 = Informal
06 = Laboratory
07 = Other
08 = School Principal
09 = School Vaccination Program
01 = Laboratory
02 = Clinical
03 = Laboratory and clinical
Yes/No/Not stated
Variable
Laboratory testing method
Description/Notes
Method used for laboratory confirmation. Multiple methods
may be reported
State of disease acquisition
Place of disease acquisition
Postcode of disease acquisition
Admitted to hospital?
Hospital of admission
Hospital admission date
Hospital separation date
Occupation
High risk occupation
Postcode of residence
5
Codes
01 = Antigen
02 = Biochemistry
03 = Culture
04 = Histopathology
05 = Microscopy
06 = NAT
07 = Other
08 = Serology
ACT = Australian Capital Territory
NSW = New South Wales
NT = Northern Territory
QLD = Queensland
SA = South Australia
TAS = Tasmania
VIC = Victoria
WA = Western Australia
01 = Acquired in Australia outside NSW
02 = Acquired in NSW
03 = Acquired outside Australia
04 = Unknown
Yes/No/Not stated
Hospital code lists are updated regularly. If information
on specific facilities is required, these should be specified
by name
Not available for all conditions
Multiple occupations may be reported
Notifiable Conditions Information Management System
Text
See Attachment 3
V1 February 2014
Variable
Statistical Local Area of
residence
Description/Notes
Codes
Codes are according to the Australian Standard
Geographical Classification (ASGC) issued by the
Australian Bureau of Statistics –
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/1216.0
Local Health District of
residence
NCIMS Variable Information – Vaccine Preventable Diseases
Variable
Number of vaccine doses
received
Case immunised?
Description/Notes
Only collected for conditions where summary vaccination
history is collected (includes mumps, rubella, pertussis, Q fever,
tetanus, and rotavirus)
Has the person ever received a vaccine against this condition?
Vaccination status
Vaccine
6
Vaccine (up to 5 completed vaccines) only collected for
conditions where full vaccination history is collected (measles,
meningococcal disease, diphtheria, pneumococcal disease, and
Hib)
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Codes
0 = No
1 = Yes
9 = Not stated
1 = Fully vaccinated for age
2 = Partially vaccinated for age
3 = Not applicable
4 = Unknown
Variable
Vaccine validation
Description/Notes
Vaccination validation (for up to 5 completed vaccines)
Vaccine dose date
Vaccine validation (partial)
Dose date (for up to 5 completed vaccines)
Vaccine validation for conditions where summary vaccination
data is collected (includes mumps, rubella, pertussis, Q fever,
tetanus, and rotavirus)
Vaccine dose date (partial)
Date of last dose. Only collected for conditions where summary
vaccination history is collected (includes mumps, rubella,
pertussis, Q fever, tetanus, and rotavirus)
Reason not vaccinated
Reason not vaccinated (other
specify)
Vaccine (other)
7
Codes
1 = ACIR
2 = Health records
3 = School records
5 = Self/parent recall
6 = Unable to validate
DD/MM/YYYY
1 = ACIR
2 = Health records
3 = School records
5 = Self/parent recall
6 = Unable to validate
DD/MM/YYYY
1 = Chose not to
2 = Forgot
3 = History of infection
4 = Too young for first dose
5 = Other
Specify reason if answered “Other” to “Reason not vaccinated”
Other vaccine history
Notifiable Conditions Information Management System
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Attachment 1 – Site of Infection
Code
Description
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
Accessory sinus
Adrenal gland
Anus
Appendix
Bile and pancreatic fluid
Blood
Bone marrow
Bone, not otherwise specified
Brain/CNS
Breast
Bronchial fluid
Bronchiole
Bronchus
Cerebral spinal fluid
Cervix
Colon
Cranial, spinal, or peripheral nerve
Disseminated disease
Ear and mastoid cells
Empyema
Endometrium
Epididymis, Vas deferens, spermatic cord
Epiglottis
Extrahepatic bile duct
Eye and eye appendages
Fallopian tube, etc.
Female genital glands
Fetus and embryo
Gallbladder
Gastric aspirate
Gastrointestinal tract
Genitourinary tract
Joints (Synovial Tissue)
Kidney
Ligament and fascia
Liver
Lung
Lymph node
Male genital glands
Meninges, dural sinus, choroid plexus
Milk
Myometrium
Nasopharynx
Nose
Oesophagus
8
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
Omentum and peritoneum
Other
Ovary
Pancreas
Penis
Pericardium
Peritoneum
Pharynx, Oropharynx, and Laryngopharynx
Pituitary gland
Placenta, umbilical cord, and implantation site
Pleura
Pleural fluid
Prostate and seminal vesicle
Pus
Rectum
Renal pelvis
Saliva
Skeletal system
Skin and skin appendages
Small Intestine - Duodenum
Small intestine - jejunum and ileum
Soft tissue, Muscles of Head, Neck
Soft tissue, Muscles of Trunk, Lower Extremities
Soft tissue, Not Otherwise Specified
Spinal cord
Spleen
Sputum
Stomach
Subcutaneous tissue
Synovial fluid
Tendon and tendon sheath
Testis
Thymus
Thyroid or parathyroid gland(s)
Tonsils and adenoids
Trachea
Unknown
Upper respiratory fluids
Ureter
Urethra
Urine
Uterus
Vagina
Vulva, labia, clitoris, and Bartholin's gland
Wound
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Attachment 2 – Type of specimen
Code
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
9
Description
Amniotic fluid specimen
Aspirate
Bile Specimen
Biopsy
Blood
Bone marrow specimen
Bone specimen
Bronchial Washing
Contents
CSF
Faeces/ Stool
Gastric brushing sample
Gastric lavage
Heart valve tissue
Meconium specimen
Not Specified
Parotid gland saliva sample
Peritoneal fluid sample
Plasma
Pleural fluid specimen
Saliva specimen
Scrapings
Serum
Slit skin smear
Specimen of pus
Sputum specimen
Swab
Synovial fluid specimen
Tissue specimen
Urine
Vomitus
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