Hon Pete Hodgson
Minister of Health

31 January 2007

New Members Appointed to a key Quality Committee

Health Minister Pete Hodgson has announced new members to the Quality Improvement Committee, (formerly Epiqual - the National Health Epidemiology and Quality Assurance Advisory Committee).

The new-look committee will also have revised terms of reference, which will focus more on developing a shared learning environment in the health sector, so that innovations that improve the quality of healthcare can be more quickly adopted throughout the system.

"The new committee will allow a greater focus on quality and safety. It will be responsible for identifying examples of innovation or best practice in health around the world or locally that could be used in New Zealand," Pete Hodgson says.

"One of my priorities for the health sector is achieving value for money and a strong quality and safety agenda will go a long way towards achieving this," Pete Hodgson says.

"I have appointed Patrick Snedden as the chair of the Quality and Innovation Committee. Mr Snedden is the chair of the Counties Manukau District Health Board. He is also a business adviser to Health Care Aotearoa Inc, which is the largest alliance of health care providers in the primary health sector in New Zealand outside the IPA (Independent Provider's Association)."

Pete Hodgson says other new members that have been appointed are Barbara Crawford, Kevin Hague, Jean Hera, Alan Merry, Catherine Rae, Mary Seddon and Judi Strid. Robin Youngson and Jim Vause have been reappointed for a second term. Cindy Farquhar, Barbara Greer and Barry Taylor continue as members.

Biographies

Barbara Crawford -
Barbara Crawford is the quality and clinical risk manager at Waikato District Health Board (1996-present). She has organisation-wide responsibility for quality and risk management services, standards and audit, quality systems development and the Waikato District Health Board Insurance Programme.
Catherine Rae -
Catherine Rae is a quality and risk manager at Otago District Health Board (2003-present). She is chair of the National District Health Board Quality and Risk Managers Group (2005-present).

Robin Youngson -
Robin Youngson is the clinical leader at Waitakere Hospital and the clinical leader of Workforce Development at the Waitemata District Health Board. He was the founder and is now the chair of CLANZ (Clinical Leaders' Association of New Zealand), 1999-present. He is currently acting chair of EpiQual.

Mary Seddon -
Mary Seddon is the head of Quality Improvement Medicine and Acute Care at Counties Manukau District Health Board (2000-present). Dr Seddon was awarded a Harkness Fellowship in Health Care Policy, which enabled her to research with the Department of Primary Care at Manchester University (1999) and the Commonwealth Fund at Harvard Medical School (1998-1999).

Alan Merry -
Alan Merry is a professor of anaesthesiology at the University of Auckland (2002-present). Professor Merry is the current chair of the quality and safety committee of ANZCA (Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists), the current director of Safer Sleep and is also the chair of the Quality and Safety Committee of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthetists.

Kevin Hague -
Kevin Hague is the Chief Executive Officer of West Coast District Health Board (2005-present). Mr Hague was a member of the National Health Committee (2001-2005) and a member (2001-2004) and chair (2002-2004) of the Public Health Advisory Committee, a subcommittee of the National Health Committee.

Patrick Snedden (Chair) -
Patrick Snedden is chair of Counties Manukau District Health Board (2004-present). He is also business adviser to Health Care Aotearoa Inc (1994-present). He has 27 years involvement as a senior executive and owner in media companies serving the educational, medical and farming sectors.

Jim Vause -
Jim Vause is the principal doctor at Redwoodtown Doctors (1985-present). He is an independent medical advisor for the Health and Disability Commissioner (2002-present) and is an assessor for the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZGP) Cornerstone Practice Accreditation Program (2005-present).

Judi Strid -
Judi Strid is the Director of Advocacy for the Health and Disability Commissioner (2004-present). She is also a consumer representative for the National Screening Unit Population Colorectal Cancer Screening Advisory Group (2005-present). She is also chair and member of a number of other committees, including the Police-commissioned multi-sectorial Guidelines for Screening, Risk Assessment and Intervention for Family Violence, Child Abuse and Neglect Working Group.

Jean Hera -
Dr Jean Hera has a PhD in Social Policy and Social Work from Massey University. She is a community health worker manager for the Palmerston North Women's Health Collective. She has over 20 years experience working in unpaid community work. She is a member of the Medical Council of New Zealand (2001-present). Dr Hera is also a professional member of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (2001-present).

Barry Taylor -
Professor Barry Taylor is chair of the Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee (2003-present). He is the Professor and Head of Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the Otago Medical School. He is a member of the New Zealand Cot Death Association Medical and Scientific Committee and the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) International Epidemiology and Physiology Committees.

Cindy Farquhar -
Professor Cindy Farquhar is chair of the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee (2003-present). She is the Postgraduate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Auckland. She is also the Deputy Clinical Director of Gynaecology at National Women's at Auckland City Hospital since 2001.

Barbara Greer -
Barbara Greer is of Ngati Mamoe, Ngai Tahu, and Ngati Porou descent. She is Tumuaki (Chief Executive Officer) of Rata Te Awhina Trust, which is a mobile health service (1995-present). She is a current member of the Community Public Health Advisory Group, and a member of Poutama Ora, a Maori Health Advisory Committee to the West Coast DHB.

ENDS

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