2 AUTHOR
AMANDA HINKS
Maternity Service Development Manager
LUISA SILAILAI
Consumer Advisor
Connecting and supporting our maternity consumers Gathering consumer voice and contributions to our quality improvement projects and activities continues to be a priority for Women’s Health. In particular, we use co-design as a methodology for putting consumers front and centre when designing our services, in recognition that consumers are the experts about their own health needs. In March 2020, consumer advisor Luisa Silailai joined the Maternity Quality and Safety Governance Group (MQSGG), after previously collaborating with maternity services on a reducing alcohol harm project.
Luisa Silailai and baby Elijah
I was recently welcomed on board the Maternity Quality and Safety Governance Group as a Consumer Representative. On 11th December 2019, I gave birth to my first baby at Ngaa Hau Birthing Unit in Mangere. I am passionate about women having the information and support they need to make informed decisions about their care that meets their cultural needs. Being on the MQSGG, which includes the Maternity Quality and Safety Programme projects, has been a good opportunity to look at the processes in place, keep what’s working well and look for opportunities to continue to improve and ensure that women, their whaanau and community receive good quality care every time they interact with healthcare workers or services. Being on the group is a place that I can be heard, and bring forward experiences of pregnancy and birthing in Counties Manukau, including both the highs and learning opportunities. Pregnancy and giving birth are not conditions, and women and their whaanau are not ‘patients’. They are being supported by healthcare services and workers for a normal, and often celebrated, part of life, which should be reflected in clinical practice. – Luisa Silailai, Consumer Advisor
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND NEWBORN ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020 19
