Counting Injuries in New Zealand

A report outlining the future of injury information collection was released today by the Department of Labour and Statistics New Zealand.

The New Zealand Injury Data Review report is the result of two years' work that has developed solutions to some current problems with the range, quality and availability of injury information.

John Chetwin, Secretary of Labour, says that good information is the key to ensuring effective injury prevention.

"Government, businesses, and communities need good information on how and where accidents occur, and who is most at risk so we can work together to minimise risk, and prevent injuries and deaths."

Statistics New Zealand has been appointed the Injury Information Manager, and will integrate injury information from eight different agencies.

Brian Pink, Government Statistician, says that they will report comprehensive information on injuries.

"At present, there is no complete information on how many New Zealanders are injured or killed in accidents every year. We will create a central information source that will produce official statistics on injury in New Zealand."

The report published today presents the results of a review of injury data, which was led jointly by the Department of Labour and Statistics New Zealand. Other agencies involved in the review included ACC, the Ministry of Health and the Land Transport Safety Authority.

The New Zealand Injury Data Review identifies the range of agencies holding information and where the gaps are. It supplies frameworks for consistent injury information collection and management; and analyses some of the impacts of the injury toll - estimated to be as much as $7 billion a year. It proposes a minimum set of indicators to monitor trends in injuries and support policy research.

The review will be distributed to interested groups and published on http://www.statistics.govt.nz\injury and http://www.dol.govt.nz from 31 October 2002.

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