Organisation : The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network
Location : Online
Time required : Approx. between 8 to 10 hours per month
Duration of project : 3 years
Skill area : Board & Committee Members, Community Services, Healthcare & Medical
Sector : Children, Community Engagement, Families, Government, Health – General, Law, Justice & Human Rights, Research / Medical Research, Science & Technology, Youth & Young People
About the role
The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network Human Research Ethics Committee (SCHN HREC) is looking to recruit members in the following categories:
- Lay Members (who bring a broader community or consumer perspective) who have no affiliation with the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN) and do not currently engage in medical, scientific, legal or academic work
- a person who performs a pastoral care role in a community including, but not limited to, an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander elder or community leader, a chaplain or a minister of religion or other religious leader
The HREC membership is established based on Clause 5.1.30 of the National Statement of Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2023.
About membership
This is a volunteer position. Members will be reimbursed for the costs incurred in attending the HREC meetings through an annual stipend payment of $350.
Members are initially appointed for a period of three (3) years and are expected to:
- Attend online monthly meetings on the third Friday of each month. The meetings’ duration will be approximately 2 hours.
- Prepare for the monthly meetings by receiving and reviewing electronic copies of agenda documentation which are published two weeks before the meetings. Depending on the size of the agenda, members may need to spend 6-8 hours to prepare for the meeting.
- Attend at least two thirds of all scheduled HREC meetings in each year, barring exceptional circumstances.
- Participate in training and professional development activities.
About the organisation
The clinical excellence achieved at SCHN is underpinned by a strong research culture which aims to find cures for the prevention and treatment of ill health in children. Our translational research provides patients and families early access to new and innovative treatments and improves the quality and efficiency of our clinical services. The SCHN HREC is responsible for ensuring the ethical and scientific acceptability of research conducted at sites within SCHN and other paediatric specific research referred to it by any Public Health Organisation from NSW, ACT, VIC, QLD and SA.
The SCHN HREC is constituted in accordance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023), and subscribes to the ethical standards outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki & the Royal Australian College of Physicians Guidelines.
How to apply
To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter indicating the position that you are interested in (i.e. lay member / pastoral care), explaining why you are interested in joining the SCHN HREC and providing a background of your experiences and qualifications to SCHN-Ethics@health.nsw.gov.au. Please also provide contact details for two (2) referees.
Please quote in application: SCHN Human Research Ethics Committee: Membership Opportunities via Pro Bono Australia.
