Terms of reference: NSW Health Maternity Expert Advisory Group

​​​​Purpose​

The NSW Health Maternity Expert Advisory Group will support the implementation of Connecting, listening and responding: A Blueprint forAction – Maternity Care in NSW (the Blueprint).

The Blueprint's vision is that ‘all women in NSW receive respectful, evidence- based and equitable maternity care that improves experiences and health and wellbeing outcomes’. This was published in March 2023.

The Blueprint has 10 goals and related objectives that capture what women¹ and families told us matters to them.

Co-Chairs

• Deputy Secretary, Health System Strategy and Patient Experience, NSW Ministry of Health.
• Maternity Consumer – Member NSW Health Maternity Consumer Reference Group​.

Secretariat

Maternity and Newborn team, Health and Social Policy Branch.

Responsibilities

Provide advice and make recommendations to NSW Health on the implementation of the Blueprint priorities, considering consumer, clinical, service and system perspectives.

Support the midwifery and obstetric co-leads to promote, lead, influence and celebrate implementation of the Blueprint priorities.

Membership

• Midwifery and Obstetric Co-Leads from each local health district.
• Members from the NSW Health Maternity Consumer Reference Group - up to 3.
• Executive Director, Health and Social Policy Branch.
• Director, Maternity Policy and Strategy, Health and Social Policy Branch.
• Manager, Maternity and Newborn, Health and Social Policy Branch.
• Manager, Aboriginal, Maternal Child and Family Health, Health and Social Policy Branch.
• Senior Clinical Advisor, Obstetrics, Health and Social Policy Branch.
• Senior Clinical Advisor, Neonatology, Health and Social Policy Branch.
• Clinical Associate Director, Acute Care for Children and Older People, Agency for Clinical Innovation.
• Principal Lead, Patient Safety Improvement Programs, Clinical Excellence Commission.
• Manager, Nursing and Midwifery, Nursing and Midwifery Office.
• Chief eXperience Officer, NSW Ministry of Health.
• Director, Prevention and Response to Violence, Abuse and Neglect.
• General Manager Primary Care, Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network.
• Aboriginal maternity clinician representative.
• Members from the NSW Health Aboriginal Cultural Reference Group – up to 2.

Other relevant Ministry branch representatives to be invited subject to meeting agenda.

Reports to

Deputy Secretary, Health System Strategy and Patient Experience, NSW Health.

Frequency of meetings

Meetings will occur 4 to 6 times per year. Additional meetings may be scheduled if required. Each meeting will be no more than 1.5 hours.

Meeting protocols

Meetings will be conducted in a hybrid manner (online via M​icrosoft Teams or face to face at 1 Reserve Road, St Leonards).

A member may nominate a delegate to attend with prior notification to the Secretariat.

Confidentiality

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

Out of session protocol

The NSW Health Maternity Expert Advisory Group may be asked to provide feedback or make recommendations outside of set meetings.

Review

The NSW Health Maternity Expert Advisory 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.