Terms of reference: NSW Health Maternity Consumer Reference Group

​​Purpose

The NSW Health Maternity Consumer Reference Group will work with the NSW Ministry of Health to assist the implementation of Connecting, listening and responding: A Blueprint for Action – Maternity Care in NSW (the Blueprint) and provide feedback and insights into maternity care in NSW.

The Blueprint has 10 goals and related objectives that capture what women¹ and families told us matters to them. The group will assist in the design and implementation of the Blueprint priorities, providing a consumer voice and perspective.

Chair

Director, Maternity Policy and Strategy, Health and Social Policy Branch.

Secretariat

Maternity and Newborn team, Health and Social Policy Branch.

Responsibilities

• The group acknowledges and considers the diversity of maternity consumers in NSW including those who are not represented in this group.
• The group will provide recommendations from a consumer perspective to the NSW Health Maternity Expert Advisory Group on the Blueprint implementation priorities which includes:
• providing thoughts on the experiences and needs of women, their partners and families in NSW who receive maternity care
• providing feedback on the information we give maternity consumers (for example, fact sheets and website pages)
• providing feedback on clinical guidance and policy from a consumer perspective.

Membership

The group will consist of approximately 15 consumers, including fathers and non-birthing parents, from across NSW who represent a diverse range of maternity experiences, and a strong interest in improving maternity care.

This includes people with lived experience of:

• culturally and linguistically diverse
• lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer (LBGTIQ+)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
• mental health
• trauma (including but not limited to physical and/or psychological)
• disability
• young parent
• pregnancy or newborn loss
• premature birth
• limited or no support group
• regional and rural NSW.

A member may not appoint a delegate to attend in their place.

Members must have lived experience of receiving NSW Health maternity care within the last 5 years.

Participation is voluntary and members can choose to exit at any time. The term of appointment is 12 months and membership will be reviewed periodically after this time.

Up to 3 consumer members will represent the group at the NSW Health Maternity Expert Advisory Group​. These members will be self-nominated and reviewed every 12 months, or as required.

Reports to

Deputy Secretary, Health System Strategy and Patient Experience via Executive Director, Health and Social Policy Branch.

Frequency of meetings

Meetings will be held 4 - 6 times each year. Meetings will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams.

Each meeting will be no more than 1.5 hours. Reading time of up to 1 hour may be needed before the meeting (as advised and agreed in advance) and extra meetings may be scheduled.

Confidentiality

Meetings and associated documents are to be considered confidential with distribution restricted to members, unless otherwise advised.

Out of session protocol

The group may be requested to provide feedback or make recommendations outside of meetings.

Review

The group will review its terms of reference after the first 12 months and then every 2 years.

Note

1. Throughout these terms of reference, the terms ‘woman’ and ‘women’ are used. The use of the term woman is not meant to exclude those who give birth and do not identify as female. NSW Health acknowledges that it is crucial to use the preferred language and terminology as described and guided by each individual person.