Cross-jurisdictional applications
Population Health Research Network
Data Linkage Services is a founding member and proud partner of the Population Health Research Network (PHRN), an Australian Government collaboration for nationwide data linkage infrastructure and research excellence supported by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program.
Applicants who are interested in cross-jurisdictional data linkage studies are encouraged to contact policy and client services at the PHRN Program Office.
You can learn more about cross-jurisdictional applications on the PHRN website.
Applying for WA linked data as part of a cross-jurisdictional project
For multi-jurisdictional linkage projects that link administrative data from two or more jurisdictions, applicants may choose to manage their project through the PHRN Online Application System (OAS).
ISPD Client Services accepts this PHRN application form in place of the Department of Health’s Application for Data form, however applications must also include ISPD Client Services forms and variable lists. Please see the 'Applying for data' page for further details, or contact the ISPD Client Services team.
We also recommend referring to the PHRN's fact sheets for guidance:
Online researcher training
Researchers who are seeking to initiate a cross-jurisdictional data linkage project are advised to complete the PHRN's Online Researcher Training module.
This free, self-paced course provides participants with the knowledge and skills required to plan linked data projects and successfully navigate the application and approval process.
It covers the types of data that are commonly available for linkage, the benefits and constraints of administrative data for research, a basic understanding of the data linkage process, and guidance on design and feasibility.
Australian government data
Data Linkage Services at the Department of Health is accredited as a data service provider for complex data integration and de-identification services under the DATA scheme, a national data sharing framework established by the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022.
Significant health data relating to Western Australian residents is held by the Australian Federal Government, such as residential and aged care data, claims for visits to general practitioners, and pharmaceutical claims.
The Department of Health was the first Western Australian body to apply for and to be accredited as both a data user and data service provider under the new scheme.
Accredited users can request Australian Government data for a linkage project in collaboration with an accredited data service provider. Government agencies, universities, researchers, and private sector organisations can apply for accreditation as a data user via the Dataplace platform.
For more information on the DATA Scheme, please see the guidance documents below, or visit the
Office of the National Data Commissioner website:
Last reviewed: 11-11-2025