Maternity Review Team Gets Down To Business

"Women will have the opportunity over coming months to have their say on their experiences of maternity services," Health Minister Wyatt Creech said today.

The Minister released the Terms of Reference for the Maternity Services Review during a meeting with new mothers in Porirua, near Wellington.

The women are the first to be formally consulted by the National Health Committee, which is carrying out the review.

"Going through pregnancy and childbirth is an emotional time for parents and families. We want the services provided to make the experience as satisfying as possible. We don't want it to add stress," Mr Creech said.

The Terms of Reference for the review are:

to assess the quality of the public maternity service currently being provided and the scope for any improvements in the quality of the service to assess whether women are satisfied with the public maternity service available to them, including the choice available and whether they are able to make informed choices. to identify any barriers to women accessing maternity care of the type and quality they need to identify ways to address issues identified in the review, within current funding levels, to achieve better use of available resources

"It is timely to examine how the system is working. There have been a number of changes to the roles of midwives and GPs in providing maternity services to women."

"The National Health Committee plans to use a range of different forums over coming months to make certain they get as much feedback as possible. The Committee will consult directly with women and health professionals and other key interest groups."

For further information please contact Anna Hughes (04) 4719 819 or (025) 477 987.

Business

"Women will have the opportunity over coming months to have their say on their experiences of maternity services," Health Minister Wyatt Creech said today.

The Minister released the Terms of Reference for the Maternity Services Review during a meeting with new mothers in Porirua, near Wellington.

The women are the first to be formally consulted by the National Health Committee, which is carrying out the review.

"Going through pregnancy and childbirth is an emotional time for parents and families. We want the services provided to make the experience as satisfying as possible. We don't want it to add stress," Mr Creech said.

The Terms of Reference for the review are:

to assess the quality of the public maternity service currently being provided and the scope for any improvements in the quality of the service to assess whether women are satisfied with the public maternity service available to them, including the choice available and whether they are able to make informed choices. to identify any barriers to women accessing maternity care of the type and quality they need to identify ways to address issues identified in the review, within current funding levels, to achieve better use of available resources

"It is timely to examine how the system is working. There have been a number of changes to the roles of midwives and GPs in providing maternity services to women."

"The National Health Committee plans to use a range of different forums over coming months to make certain they get as much feedback as possible. The Committee will consult directly with women and health professionals and other key interest groups."