To ask the Minister of Health for an update on the development of a Child Death Overview Panel, following on from Recommendation 88 of the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-related Deaths.

Work to develop proposals for child death review arrangements and the establishment of a Child Death Overview Panel in Northern Ireland has been undertaken. That work took account of the relevant recommendations from the independent review of the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland in 2016, and Recommendation 88 of the Independent Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-related Deaths. It also took account of developments in other parts of the UK, where child death review arrangements have been subject to review and revision in recent years. Further work is necessary to ensure that an arrangement is implemented which maximises the learning from children’s deaths in Northern Ireland and builds on the strength of existing review processes.