Statistical linkage key 581 cluster

Identifying and definitional attributes
Metadata item type:	Data Set Specification
METEOR identifier:	349510
Registration status:	Community Services (retired), Standard 21/05/2010 Disability, Standard 07/10/2014 Early Childhood, Standard 21/05/2010 Health, Superseded 25/01/2018 Homelessness, Superseded 10/08/2018 Housing assistance, Standard 23/08/2010
DSS type:	Data Element Cluster
Scope:	Statistical data linkage refers to the bringing together of data from different sources to gain a greater understanding of a situation or individual from the combined (or linked) dataset. This facilitates a better understanding of the patterns of service use by groups of clients for research, statistical or policy analysis, planning and evaluation purposes. Its form is: XXXXXDDMMYYYYN The sequence in which the linkage key is completed is as follows: Family name (the first 3 Xs) Given name (the 4th and 5th X) Date of birth by day, month and four-digit year Sex XXX 2nd, 3rd and 5th letters of the family name. In the first three spaces the agency should record the 2nd, 3rd and 5th letters of the client’s family name. For example: If the client’s family name is Smith the reported value should be MIH. If the client’s family name is Jones the reported value should be ONS. Regardless of the length of a person’s name, the reported value should always be three characters long. If the legal family name is not long enough to supply the requested letters (i.e. a legal family name of less than five letters) then agencies should substitute the number ‘2’ to reflect the missing letters. The placement of a number ‘2’ should always correspond to the same space that the missing letter would have within the 3-digit field. A number (rather than a letter) is used for such a substitution in order to clearly indicate that an appropriate corresponding letter from the person’s name is not available. Cases where the family name has less than 5 letters: If a person’s family name is Farr, then value reported would be AR2 because the 2 is substituting for a missing 5th letter of the family name. Similarly, if the person’s family name was Hua, then the value reported would be UA2 because the 2 is substituting for the missing 5th letter of the family name. If a client’s family name is missing altogether the agency should record the number 999 for all three spaces associated with the family name, (not the number 2). In some cultures it is traditional to state the family name first. To overcome discrepancies in recording/reporting that may arise as a result of this practice, agencies should always ask the person to specify their legal first given name and their legal family name separately. These should then be recorded as first given name and family name as appropriate, regardless of the order in which they may be traditionally given. If the client’s family name includes non-alphabetic characters—for example hyphens (as in Lee-Archer), apostrophes (as in O’Mara) or blank spaces (as in De Vries)—these non-alphabetic characters should be ignored when counting the position of each character. XX 2nd and 3rd letters of given name In the fourth and fifth spaces the agency should record the 2nd and 3rd letters of the client’s given name. For example: If the client’s given name is Elizabeth the reported value should be LI. If the client’s given name is Robert the reported value should be OB. If the client’s given name includes non-alphabetic characters—for example hyphens (as in Jo-Anne) or apostrophes (as in D'Arcy), these non-alphabetic characters should be ignored when counting the position of each character. Regardless of the length of a person’s given name, the reported value should always be two characters long. If the given name of the person is not long enough to supply the requested letters (i.e. a name of less than three letters) then agencies should substitute the number ‘2’ to reflect the missing letters. The placement of a number ‘2’ should always correspond to the same space that the missing letter would have within the 2-digit field. A number (rather than a letter) is used for such substitutions in order to clearly indicate that an appropriate corresponding letter from the person’s name is not available. For example: If the person’s legal name was Jo then the value reported would be O2 because the 2 is substituting for the missing 3rd letter of the given name. If the person’s given name is missing altogether the agency should record 99 for the two spaces associated with the given name. In some cultures it is traditional to state the family name first. To overcome discrepancies in recording/reporting that may arise as a result of this practice, agencies should always ask the person to specify their given name and their family name separately. These should then be recorded as first given name and family name as appropriate, regardless of the order in which they may be traditionally given. Date of Birth DD represents the day in the month a person was born MM represents the month in the year a person was born YYYY represents the year a person was born If date of birth is not known or cannot be obtained, provision should be made to collect or estimate age. Collected or estimated age would usually be in years for adults and to the nearest three months (or less) for children aged less than two years. Additionally, an estimated date flag or a date accuracy indicator should be reported in conjunction with all estimated dates of birth. For data collections concerned with children's services, it is suggested that the estimated date of birth of children aged under 2 years should be reported to the nearest 3 month period, i.e. 0101, 0104, 0107, 0110 of the estimated year of birth. For example, a child who is thought to be aged 18 months in October of one year would have his/her estimated date of birth reported as 0104 of the previous year. Again, an estimated date flag or date accuracy indicator /content/index.phtml/ itemId/294429 should be reported in conjunction with all estimated dates of birth. Sex N represents whether or not the person is a 1. Male or 2. Female. Operationally, sex is the distinction between male and female, as reported by a person or as determined by an interviewer. When collecting data on sex by personal interview, asking the sex of the respondent is usually unnecessary and may be inappropriate, or even offensive. It is usually a simple matter to infer the sex of the respondent through observation, or from other cues such as the relationship of the person(s) accompanying the respondent, or first name. The interviewer may ask whether persons not present at the interview are male or female. A person's sex may change during their lifetime as a result of procedures known alternatively as sex change, gender reassignment, transsexual surgery, transgender reassignment or sexual reassignment. Throughout this process, which may be over a considerable period of time, the person's sex could be recorded as either Male or Female. In data collections that use the ICD-10-AM classification, where sex change is the reason for admission, diagnoses should include the appropriate ICD-10-AM code(s) that clearly identify that the person is undergoing such a process. This code(s) would also be applicable after the person has completed such a process, if they have a procedure involving an organ(s) specific to their previous sex (e.g. where the patient has prostate or ovarian cancer). Code 3 Intersex or indeterminate Is normally used for babies for whom sex has not been determined for whatever reason. Should not generally be used on data collection forms completed by the respondent. Should only be used if the person or respondent volunteers that the person is intersex or where it otherwise becomes clear during the collection process that the individual is neither male nor female. Code 9 Not stated/inadequately described Is not to be used on primary collection forms. It is primarily for use in administrative collections when transferring data from data sets where the item has not been collected. Data that has been produced by linkage for statistical and research purposes should not be used subsequently for client management purposes. This data cluster contains a set of specific data elements to be reported on in a predetermined combination.

Collection and usage attributes
Guide for use:	Where a date of birth is estimated the date accuracy indicator should be used. Please see Relational attributes.
Source and reference attributes
Submitting organisation:	Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Steward:	Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Origin:	AIHW 1998. Home and Community Care (HACC) Data Dictionary Version 1.0. Report prepared for the Commonwealth and State/Territory government HACC Officials.
Reference documents:	NCSIMG 2001. Statistical Data Linkage in Community Services Data Collections. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Relational attributes
Related metadata references:	Has been superseded by Statistical linkage key 581 cluster Health, Superseded 17/12/2021 Homelessness, Standard 10/08/2018 See also Date—accuracy indicator, code AAA Community Services (retired), Standard 30/09/2005 Disability, Standard 07/10/2014 Early Childhood, Standard 21/05/2010 Health, Standard 04/05/2005 Homelessness, Standard 23/08/2010 Housing assistance, Standard 23/08/2010
Implementation in Data Set Specifications: All attributes +	Alcohol and other drug treatment services NMDS 2012-13 Health, Superseded 07/02/2013 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2012 Implementation end date: 30/06/2013 Alcohol and other drug treatment services NMDS 2013-15 Health, Superseded 13/11/2014 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2013 Implementation end date: 30/06/2015 Alcohol and other drug treatment services NMDS 2015-18 Health, Superseded 06/09/2018 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2015 Implementation end date: 30/06/2018 Disability services carer details cluster Community Services (retired), Standard 10/04/2013 Disability, Standard 13/08/2015 DSS specific attributes + DSS specific information: The statistical linkage key cluster of data elements is to be reported once for the carer and once for the recipient of care. Disability services client details cluster Community Services (retired), Standard 10/04/2013 Disability, Standard 13/08/2015 Disability Services NMDS 2012-14 Community Services (retired), Standard 13/03/2013 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2012 Implementation end date: 30/06/2014 DSS specific information: For the DS NMDS the following rules also apply. Date of birth If the actual date of birth is unknown, estimate the year of birth, enter 01/01 as the day and month, and tick the date of birth estimated flag (item 2d ‘Birth date estimate flag’). In the DS NMDS, if the age of the person is known, the age of the person should be used to derive the person’s year of birth. If the person’s age is not known, an estimate of the person’s age should be used to calculate an estimated year of birth. An actual or estimated year of birth should then be converted to an estimated date of birth according to the following convention: 01/01/estimated year of birth. Where the date of birth is estimated, this should be indicated when the data is submitted using the date estimate indicator. It is important that service type outlets do not record estimated dates of birth by using ‘00’ for the day, month or year as this would not be considered a valid date by the system processing the data. Date of birth estimated For the DS NMDS, a date of birth estimate flag is collected in place of the "Date—accuracy indicator, code AAA". 1=‘Yes’ (date of birth estimated). Sex Code 3 Intersex or indeterminate is not used in the DS NMDS collection. Disability Services NMDS 2014-15 Disability, Superseded 29/02/2016 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2014 Implementation end date: 30/06/2015 DSS specific information: For the Disability Services Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS) the following rules also apply. Date of birth If the actual date of birth is unknown, estimate the year of birth, enter 01/01 as the day and month, and tick the date of birth estimated flag (item 2d ‘Birth date estimate flag’) (see Disability Services NMDS 2014–15 data guide). In the DS NMDS, if the age of the person is known, the age of the person should be used to derive the person’s year of birth. If the person’s age is not known, an estimate of the person’s age should be used to calculate an estimated year of birth. An actual or estimated year of birth should then be converted to an estimated date of birth according to the following convention: 01/01/estimated year of birth. Where the date of birth is estimated, this should be indicated when the data is submitted using the date estimate indicator. It is important that service type outlets do not record estimated dates of birth by using ‘00’ for the day, month or year as this would not be considered a valid date by the system processing the data. Date of birth estimated For the DS NMDS, a date of birth estimate flag is collected in place of the "Date—accuracy indicator, code AAA". 1=‘Yes’ (date of birth estimated). Sex Code 3 Intersex or indeterminate is not used in the DS NMDS collection. Disability Services NMDS 2015–16 Disability, Superseded 28/09/2016 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2015 Implementation end date: 30/06/2016 DSS specific information: For the Disability Services Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS) the following rules also apply. Date of birth In the DS NMDS, if the age of the person is known, the age of the person should be used to derive the person’s year of birth. If the person’s age is not known, an estimate of the person’s age should be used to calculate an estimated year of birth. An actual or estimated year of birth should then be converted to an estimated date of birth according to the following convention: 01/01/estimated year of birth. Where the date of birth is estimated, this should be indicated when the data is submitted using the date of birth estimated indicator. It is important that service type outlets do not record estimated dates of birth by using ‘00’ for the day, month or year as this would not be considered a valid date by the system processing the data. Date of birth estimated For the DS NMDS, a date of birth estimate flag is collected in place of the 'Date—accuracy indicator, code AAA'. 1=‘Yes’ (date of birth estimated). Sex Code 3 Intersex or indeterminate is not used in the DS NMDS collection. Disability Services NMDS 2016–17 Disability, Superseded 15/12/2017 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2016 Implementation end date: 30/06/2017 DSS specific information: For the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS) the following rules also apply. Date of birth In the DS NMDS, if the age of the person is known, the age of the person should be used to derive the person’s year of birth. If the person’s age is not known, an estimate of the person’s age should be used to calculate an estimated year of birth. An actual or estimated year of birth should then be converted to an estimated date of birth according to the following convention: 01/01/estimated year of birth. Where the date of birth is estimated, this should be indicated when the data is submitted using the date of birth estimated indicator. It is important that service type outlets do not record estimated dates of birth by using ‘00’ for the day, month or year as this would not be considered a valid date by the system processing the data. Date of birth estimated For the DS NMDS, a date of birth estimate flag is collected in place of the 'Date—accuracy indicator, code AAA'. 1=‘Yes’ (date of birth estimated). Sex Code 3 Intersex or indeterminate is not used in the DS NMDS collection. Disability Services NMDS 2017–18 Disability, Superseded 05/07/2019 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2017 Implementation end date: 30/06/2018 DSS specific information: For the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS) the following rules also apply. Date of birth In the DS NMDS, if the age of the person is known, the age of the person should be used to derive the person’s year of birth. If the person’s age is not known, an estimate of the person’s age should be used to calculate an estimated year of birth. An actual or estimated year of birth should then be converted to an estimated date of birth according to the following convention: 01/01/estimated year of birth. Where the date of birth is estimated, this should be indicated when the data is submitted using the date of birth estimated indicator. It is important that service type outlets do not record estimated dates of birth by using ‘00’ for the day, month or year as this would not be considered a valid date by the system processing the data. Date of birth estimated For the DS NMDS, a date of birth estimate flag is collected in place of the 'Date—accuracy indicator, code AAA'. 1=‘Yes’ (date of birth estimated). Sex Code 3 Intersex or indeterminate is not used in the DS NMDS collection. Disability Services NMDS 2018–19 Disability, Standard 05/07/2019 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2018 Implementation end date: 30/06/2019 DSS specific information: For the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS) the following rules also apply. Date of birth In the DS NMDS, if the age of the person is known, the age of the person should be used to derive the person’s year of birth. If the person’s age is not known, an estimate of the person’s age should be used to calculate an estimated year of birth. An actual or estimated year of birth should then be converted to an estimated date of birth according to the following convention: 01/01/estimated year of birth. Where the date of birth is estimated, this should be indicated when the data is submitted using the date of birth estimated indicator. It is important that service type outlets do not record estimated dates of birth by using ‘00’ for the day, month or year as this would not be considered a valid date by the system processing the data. Date of birth estimated For the DS NMDS, a date of birth estimate flag is collected in place of the 'Date—accuracy indicator, code AAA'. 1=‘Yes’ (date of birth estimated). Sex Code 3 Intersex or indeterminate is not used in the DS NMDS collection. Early Childhood Education and Care: Unit Record Level NMDS 2010 Early Childhood, Superseded 07/06/2011 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2010 Public rental housing DSS 2017-18 Housing assistance, Superseded 10/05/2019 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2017 Implementation end date: 30/06/2018 Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS 2011 Homelessness, Superseded 01/05/2013 Housing assistance, Superseded 01/05/2013 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2011 DSS specific information: For the purposes of the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS the SLK of the Presenting Unit Head will be recorded on each their accompanying member’s client forms. Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS 2012-13 Homelessness, Superseded 01/05/2013 Housing assistance, Superseded 01/05/2013 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2012 Implementation end date: 30/06/2013 DSS specific information: For the purposes of the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS the SLK of the Presenting Unit Head will be recorded on each their accompanying member’s client forms. Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS 2013-14 Homelessness, Superseded 26/08/2014 Housing assistance, Superseded 26/08/2014 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2013 Implementation end date: 30/06/2014 DSS specific information: In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this cluster is collected at the date of presentation. For the purposes of the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS the SLK of the Presenting Unit Head will be recorded on each their accompanying member’s forms. Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS 2014-15 Homelessness, Superseded 24/11/2016 Housing assistance, Superseded 24/11/2016 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2014 Implementation end date: 30/06/2015 DSS specific information: In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this cluster is collected at the date of presentation. For the purposes of the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS the SLK of the Presenting Unit Head will be recorded on each their accompanying member’s forms. Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS 2015-17 Homelessness, Superseded 24/11/2016 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2015 Implementation end date: 30/06/2017 DSS specific information: In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this cluster is collected at the date of presentation. For the purposes of the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS the SLK of the Presenting Unit Head will be recorded on each their accompanying member’s forms. Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS 2017-19 Homelessness, Superseded 10/08/2018 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2017 Implementation end date: 30/06/2019 DSS specific information: In the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS, this cluster is collected at the date of presentation. For the purposes of the Specialist Homelessness Services NMDS the SLK of the Presenting Unit Head will be recorded on each their accompanying member’s forms. State owned and managed Indigenous housing (SOMIH) DSS 2017-18 Housing assistance, Superseded 05/05/2019 DSS specific attributes + Implementation start date: 01/07/2017 Implementation end date: 30/06/2018

Metadata items in this Data Set Specification

Seq No.	Metadata item	Obligation	Max occurs
1	Person—letters of family name, text XXX	Mandatory	1
2	Person—letters of given name, text XX	Mandatory	1
3	Person—date of birth, DDMMYYYY	Mandatory	1
4	Person—sex, code N	Mandatory	1
5	Record—linkage key, code 581 XXXXXDDMMYYYYN	Mandatory	1
6	Date—accuracy indicator, code AAA *Conditional obligation:* Where a date of birth is estimated the date accuracy indicator should be used	Conditional	1