Implementation plan

The information necessary to meet the expanded role of coroners, and the needs of other users, is generally readily available during coroners' investigations. Current information systems are oriented toward dealing with a single case and do not, necessarily, systematically record the information required to take a broader view. The challenge in developing a new system is to capture relevant information in a systematic manner and to make this readily accessible to coroners and researchers.

It is difficult to accurately detail the exact number of cases to be processed in each year or the categories into which these cases fall. The table below presents an annual estimate based on ABS deaths data for 1990-1992

Table 3 Estimate of average number of deaths certified by a coroner annually in Australia

Type of Death           Expected Annual          Source of estimate       
                        presentation to                                   
                        coroners                     

Transportation          2550                     ABS Deaths 90-92         
Work                    500                      Worksafe study           
Consumer product        Unknown                                           
Deaths in custody       80                       AIC 1993                 
Intentional inflicted   350                      ABS Deaths 90-92         
by other                                                                  
Intentional self        2938                     ABS Deaths 90-92         
inflicted                                                                 
Drowning                430                      ABS Deaths 92            
Total external cause    7500                     ABS Deaths 90-92         
Non external cause      10500                    ABS Deaths 90-92         
                                                                          
Total coroner           18000                    ABS Deaths 90-92         
certified deaths                                                          

Note: The number of deaths in each category, and the total, are separately estimated as some deaths fall into more than one category. For example 20-30% of work related deaths are also transport related.

The number of cases for which information is to be processed is not large. Many detailed items are not required for all cases. For example, sudden natural cause deaths will require only minimal core information to be completed, brief findings and no detail for major users. The system which is needed, therefore, need not place an undue load on coroners, nor require levels of resourcing which are prohibitive. The processing of core information should be subsidised by major users, and the cost of processing more detailed information for particular users should be covered by the users defining them. Inclusion of the more detailed data would, however, benefit coroners by allowing them to use the variables generated, in the searches and analysis.

This study has identified core information and the information required to meet the needs of key user groups. At first, the list seems large and complex. Most of the information is already included in coroners' files but is not readily accessible. Where it is not, the introduction of investigative protocols for key types of cases and standard ways of recording information across all jurisdictions could easily obtain and standardise the required information. Coroners' clerks already operate to ensure that the necessary information is available to the coroner and would play a vital role in ensuring that information is complete, and that the relevant protocols were used. Table 4 presents a summary of the data required.

Table 4 Data Summary Map

All cases       All          Work       Road         Consumer      Deaths in  
                external     related    related      product       custody    
                causes                               related
n = 18000       n = 7500     n = 500    n=2550       n = unknown   n = 80

Sex             Diagnosis /  Industry   Event        Brand and     Education  
Day of birth    injuries     Mechanism  Incident     model of      level      
Month of birth  received     of injury  identifier   product       Living     
Year of birth   Intent       / disease  Crash type   Detailed      arrangemen 
Country of      Manner of    Agency of  Road user    product       ts prior   
birth           death        injury /   movement     description   to         
Marital status  External     disease    Road         Year of       custody    
Aboriginality   Cause of     Task       structure    manufacture   Custodial  
Usual           death        being      Speed limit  Manufacturer  authority  
residence SLA   Activity at  performed  Alignment    Retailer      involved   
Employment      time of      Time on    Weather      Country of    Time last  
status          death        task       Surface      Origin        seen       
Usual           Products     Usual Job  type         Year of       alive and  
Occupation      and factors  Experience Surface      purchase      reasonably 
Age of          BAC %         on task   condition    First          OK        
marriage        Prescription Work       Light        language      Time       
Date of          drugs       classifica Street                     found      
marriage        Other drugs  tion       lighting                   dead or    
No of issue     Other        Shift      Death                      in a       
Drowning        substances   Usual      vehicle                    distressed 
classification  toxicology   shift      Incident                    state     
Cancer flag                  Hours on   identifier                 which      
Maternal death               shift      Vehicle                    progressed 
flag                         Response   type                        to death  
TB flag                      to injury  Vehicle                    Legal      
Leukemia flag                Use of     make and                   status     
AIDS / HIV                   protective model                      (remand,   
flag                                    State of                   sentenced) 
Asthma flag                  equipment  registration                          
Drugs,                       Training                              Reason     
smoking,                     history    Drivers                    bail       
alcohol flag                 Safety     licence                    denied     
Asbestosis                   procedures type                       Offence    
flag                                    Towed away                 or         
Diabetes flag                           Operator                   alleged    
State of                                BAC                        offence    
registration                            Operator                   leading    
of death                                sex                        to         
Date of                                 Operator                   custody    
registration                            age                        Length of  
Registration                            No of                      time in    
number                                  occupants                  custody    
Time of death                           Vehicle                    Period of  
Day of death                            fault                      sentence   
Month of death                          Other                      served     
                                        vehicle (1                 Health     
Year of death                           set per                    status     
Type of place                           vehicle)                   (Physical  
of incident                             Incident                   and        
SLA of                                  identifier                 mental     
incident                                Vehicle                    covering   
Place of death                          type                       significan 
                                        Vehicle                    t events   
PM defined                              make and                   including  
cause of death                          model                      suicide    
PM summary                              State of                   attempts,  
Description of                          registration               etc.)      
circumstances                                                      HIV        
Coroner's                               Drivers                    status     
summary                                 licence                               
Major cause                             type                                  
type                                    Towed away                            
Work related                            Operator                              
flag                                    BAC                                   
Road related                            Operator                              
flag                                    sex                                   
Consumer                                Operator                              
product                                 age                                   
related flag                            No of                                 
Death in                                occupants                             
custody                                 Vehicle                               
External cause                          fault                                 
flag                                    Deceased                              
Anaesthetic                             details                               
death flag                              Seat belt                             
Suicide flag                            use                                   
Other external                          Position in                           
cause flag                              vehicle                               
Death in                                                                      
custody                                                                       
Natural flag                                                                  
SIDS flag                                                                     
Other natural                                                                 
death flag