THE ROLE

The Health Review Officer undertakes analysis and reviews of the deaths of children focused on care and treatment within health settings, collects data and information associated with the deaths of children, and prepares reports and correspondence. The Health Review Officer assists with projects or initiatives aimed at preventing or reducing the likelihood of these deaths, and related issues.
The nature of death reviews can be distressing, and the office provides avenues for support and debriefing. The Review Officer will also utilise their well-developed self-care skills.

The Child Death Review Unit (CDRU) is responsible for NSW Ombudsman’s functions in Parts 5A and 6 of the Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and Monitoring) Act 1993 (CS CRAMA) which include:

• convening and supporting the NSW Child Death Review Team – a group of experts in healthcare, child development, child protection and research, as well as representatives of key government agencies – to maintain a register of all child deaths in NSW, classify those deaths according to cause, demographic criteria and other relevant factors, identify trends and patterns relating to those deaths, undertake research, and make recommendations that may assist in preventing child deaths (Part 5A), and
• reviewing the deaths of children in circumstances of abuse or neglect, and the deaths of children in care or detention. A key focus of this work is identifying practice and systems issues that may contribute to deaths, or that may expose other children to risks in the future (Part 6)