Bowel cancer diagnostic assessment cluster
Data Set Specification
Health, Candidate 14/10/2021
DSS type:
Data Element Cluster
The Bowel cancer diagnostic assessment cluster comprises a set of standardised data definitions used for monitoring the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP). This cluster includes information on people who participated in the NBCSP and received a positive screening result and then had a cancer diagnostic assessment.
This metadata set is not mandated for collection, i.e. it reflects best practice when collecting data in relation to bowel screening rather than a nationally mandated set of data items that must be provided.
It is intended to be used by the National Cancer Screening Register. It can also be used by a wider range of health and health-related professionals who collect and/or use the data in relation to the NBCSP.
Collection and usage attributes
Statistical unit:
Persons who either have participated in or will be participating in bowel cancer screening programs and who have answered yes in relation to having undergone a cancer diagnostic assessment.
Supersedes Bowel cancer diagnostic assessment cluster Health, Standard 16/01/2020
Implementation in Data Set Specifications:
National Bowel Cancer Screening Program NBEDS 2022–23 Health, Standardisation pending 22/10/2021
Parent DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2022
Implementation end date: 30/06/2023
Conditional obligation:
Reporting of the data elements in this cluster is conditional upon answering 'Yes' to the Person—cancer diagnostic assessment indicator, yes/no code N data element.
Metadata items in this Data Set Specification
Show more detail
Seq No.
Metadata item
Max occurs
1 Patient—cancer diagnostic assessment date, DDMMYYYY Mandatory 1
2 Patient—cancer diagnostic assessment type, bowel cancer code N Mandatory 1
3 Establishment—Australian state/territory identifier, code N
DSS specific information:
This is the state or territory in which a bowel cancer diagnostic assessment occurs. This can be different to the person's state or territory of usual residence, e.g. a person living in Queanbeyan (in NSW) may undergo a diagnostic assessment in Canberra, i.e. in the ACT.
4 Patient—colonoscope withdrawal time, total minutes NNN
Reporting of this data element is conditional upon answering 'Colonoscopy' to the Person—cancer diagnostic assessment type, bowel cancer code N data element.
Conditional 1
5 Patient—colonoscope depth, anatomical site within the bowel code XX[XX]
6 Patient—election status, code N Mandatory 1
7 Patient—sedation received indicator, yes/no code N
The level of sedation used should comply with Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) standards (ANZCA 2014). The level of sedation used should generally be related to the risk of complications for each individual patient as documented in the pre-procedure patient assessment. Further, deep sedation and general anaesthesia may only be used in the presence of an anaesthetist or other appropriately trained and credentialed medical specialist within his/her scope of practice. Non‑anaesthetist medical staff require adequate training in the safe and correct usage of sedation equipment and drugs, and in the management and monitoring of sedated patients in accordance with the guidelines.
ANZCA 2014. Guidelines on Sedation and/or Analgesia for Diagnostic and Interventional Medical, Dental or Surgical Procedures. Viewed 14 October 2021, https://www.anzca.edu.au/resources/professional-documents/guidelines/ps09-guidelines-sedation-analgesia-for-diagnostic
8 Patient—sedation type, code N
Reporting of this data element is conditional upon answering 'Yes' to the Patient—sedation received indicator, yes/no code N data element.
9 Patient—type of health professional who administers sedation, bowel cancer diagnostic assessment code N
10 Patient—colorectal polyps found in colon indicator, yes/no code N Mandatory 1
11 Patient—number of colorectal polyps found, N[NN]
Reporting of this data element is conditional upon answering 'Yes' to the Patient—colorectal polyps found in colon indicator, yes/no code N data element.
There could be multiple polyps listed if multiple polyps are found during an assessment.
12 Patient—colorectal polyps greater than or equal to 10 mm indicator, Yes/no code N
13 Patient—anatomical site of colorectal polyps, code XX[XX]
14 Patient—colorectal polyp type, code N[N]
15 Patient—grade of colorectal polyps found, code N
Reporting of this data element is conditional upon answering 'Yes' to the Person—colorectal polyps found in colon, yes/no code N data element.
16 Patient—adverse event indicator, yes/no code N
There is the risk of an adverse event occurring during a cancer diagnostic assessment. Monitoring of adverse events through the NBCSP is important to ensure participant safety in the Program.
17 Patient—type of adverse event, bowel cancer diagnostic assessment adverse event code N[N]
Reporting of this data element is conditional upon answering 'Yes' to the Person—adverse event indicator, yes/no code N data element.
18 Patient—cancer status, code N
Codes 8 and 9 are not used in the Bowel cancer diagnostic assessment cluster.