Jessica Pearse
Manager, National Coroners Information System
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM)
Melbourne, Victoria Australia

(Half day session)

Information is available on the National Coroners Information System (NCIS) about every fatality reported to a coroner in Australia since July 2000. This database can therefore be a valuable resource in identifying the involvement of particular types of drugs in deaths investigated by a coroner.

This half day session will provide background information on the NCIS, and involve a live demonstration of how searches of the NCIS can currently be conducted to identify fatalities involving certain drug types. The session will also elaborate on the proposed National Drugs Module, the pilot of this module in Victoria, and how national implementation will greatly enhance the ease and accuracy of identifying fatalities involving certain drugs or drug classes.