Re: “The association between hospital overcrowding and mortality among patients admitted via Western Australian emergency departments”, by Peter C Sprivulis, Julie-Ann Da Silva, Ian G Jacobs, Amanda R L Frazer and George A Jelinek, in the 6 March issue of the Journal (Med J Aust 2006; 184: 208-212). Sprivulis et al wrote that they obtained ethics approval from the “Western Australian Department of Health Confidentiality of Health Information Committee”. This description is incorrect. The Confidentiality of Health Information Committee of Western Australia is an independent committee appointed by the Minister for Health and is not part of the WA Department of Health.

We thank Dr David G Blackledge (a member of the committee in question) for pointing out this error.

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