Medicolegal
Case Analyst (Midwifery)
Role Description
Medicolegal Case Analyst (Midwifery)
Classification
Equivalent to Registered Midwife (NG5-6)
Employment Type
Independent Contractor. Part-time, flexible hours
Rate
$70-85 per hour, depending on experience (reviewed after 3 months)
Location
Remote with occasional in-person meetings
Reports To
Dr Danny Tucker, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
About the Practice
Dr Danny Tucker provides independent medicolegal expert witness services in obstetrics and gynaecology, supporting both plaintiff and defence matters in courts across Australia. The practice prepares detailed expert reports based on a comprehensive review of medical records and clinical evidence.
The current team includes a part-time Administrative Assistant who liaises with lawyers, arranges bookings and completes report write-ups and invoicing.
Opportunity
This role offers unique experience and professional development opportunities beyond standard clinical work:
Skill Development
Medicolegal expertise: Gain insight into how clinical care is evaluated in legal proceedings — a specialised skill set rare among clinicians
Analytical skills: Develop advanced abilities in medical record analysis, chronology construction, and identifying clinically significant events
Legal literacy: Learn to navigate legal terminology, report structures, and the evidentiary requirements of expert witness work
Career Advantages
Diversified experience: Add a distinctive dimension to your professional portfolio that few midwives possess
Flexible work: Remote, part-time arrangement that complements other clinical or personal commitments
Professional insight: Understand clinical documentation from an external review perspective. This is valuable for quality improvement, incident review, or clinical leadership roles
Working Environment
Direct mentorship: Work closely with an experienced medicolegal expert
Meaningful contribution: Play a key role in cases that often involve significant patient harm and accountability
Autonomous work: Self-directed role with trust and professional respect
Purpose of the Role
To support the preparation of medicolegal expert reports by:
Conducting an initial review of event summaries and medical records supplied by instructing lawyers
Extracting and organising key clinical events into structured chronologies using an electronic whiteboard
Preparing factual overviews that enable efficient expert review
Key Responsibilities
1. Medical Records Review
Receive and organise case briefs from instructing lawyers
Review clinical records systematically, identifying key events across phases of care:
Obstetrics: Antenatal care, Imaging/investigations, Intrapartum care, Postnatal care
Gynaecology: Pre-operative, Surgical, Post-operative
Flag gaps, illegible entries, or missing documentation for follow-up
2. Chronology Preparation
Extract relevant clinical events with accurate timestamps
Create factual summaries using the practice's digital workspace (Heptabase)
Organise information by clinical phase using established templates
Maintain strict neutrality: document what happened, not what should have happened
Highlight potential points of clinical significance for expert review
3. Quality and Accuracy
Ensure all extracted information is accurately referenced to source documents
Cross-check dates, times, and clinical details for consistency
Identify contradictions or ambiguities in the records for expert attention
Maintain version control and clear audit trails
4. Workflow Support
Liaise with the practice administrator regarding case timelines and priorities
Maintain organised digital filing of case materials
Participate in workflow refinement and process improvement
Scope Boundaries
In Scope (This Role)
Factual extraction from medical records
Chronological organisation of clinical events
Identification of documentation gaps or inconsistencies
Preparation of draft summaries for obstetric review
Flagging potential issues for discussion and review
Out of Scope
Clinical opinions on the standard of care
Judgments about breach or causation
Interpretation of whether care was appropriate
Communication with lawyers regarding the case substance
Final report content and conclusions
This role prepares the factual foundation. Dr Tucker is expected to formulate the medicolegal opinion.
Selection Criteria
Mandatory
Current registration as a Midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (AHPRA), or recent registration with eligibility to restore
Minimum 3 years clinical experience in midwifery, including exposure to:
Antenatal care pathways
Intrapartum care and CTG interpretation
Clinical documentation standards
Demonstrated attention to detail: ability to extract accurate information from complex clinical records
Strong written communication: clear, concise, grammatically correct English
Highly Desirable
Experience in any of:
Clinical audit or quality improvement
Incident review or root cause analysis
Clinical coding or medical records
Patient safety or clinical governance
Familiarity with:
Australian health system documentation systems and standards
Maternity clinical information systems (e.g., ieMR, RiskMan, etc.)
Interest in medicolegal work — understanding of (or willingness to learn) the requirements of expert witness practice
Personal Attributes
Self-directed and able to work independently with minimal supervision
Comfortable with ambiguity: medical records are often incomplete or unclear
Maintains strict confidentiality and professional boundaries
Receptive to feedback and committed to continuous improvement
Working Arrangements
Hours
Initial engagement: approximately 6 hours per week. A shorter engagement will be considered for the right candidate who can increase hours later.
Final hours by mutual agreement may be 12-16 per week, with the option of permanent employment.
Hours may vary based on case load
Flexibility to increase during busy periods
Trial Period
Initial trial period of 6 weeks
Either party may end the arrangement with 2 weeks' notice during the trial period
Location
Primarily remote/work from home
Access to secure systems for handling confidential medical records
Occasional in-person meetings for training, case discussions, or workflow review
Equipment
Practice will provide access to:
Digital workspace (Heptabase)
Secure file sharing and communication systems
Templates and workflow documentation
Employee provides their own computer and reliable internet connection
Training and Development
Initial Training (First 3-4 Weeks)
Orientation to medicolegal practice requirements
Training on technology workflow and templates
Supervised preparation of 3-5 cases with detailed feedback
Introduction to legal terminology and report structure
Ongoing
Regular feedback on completed work
Case debriefs where appropriate
Opportunity to develop understanding of medicolegal principles
Confidentiality and Professional Standards
This role involves access to highly sensitive medical and legal information. The position requires:
Signing of the confidentiality agreement
Compliance with Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Health Records Act requirements
Secure handling and storage of all case materials
No disclosure of case information outside authorised channels
Maintenance of professional boundaries with all parties
Success Measures
After the initial training period, success in this role looks like:
Extracted facts match source records with no material errors
Key clinical events identified without significant omissions
Summaries contain facts only, no embedded interpretation
Draft chronologies prepared within agreed timeframes
Expert review time is reduced compared to the unassisted workflow
How to Apply
If this role interests you, please email Dr Danny Tucker at dt@dannytucker.net with:
A brief introduction explaining your interest in the role
Your CV or a summary of relevant experience
Your current AHPRA registration status
Informal enquiries are welcome.
