Lobbying

We attend monthly meetings of the Consumer Forum, which is a group meeting with other consumer members and the Midwifery Management team. This is a meeting that anyone is welcome to join, and it is kiddie friendly!! We feedback any issues our members have raised and also source information the staff want to know. As an example when the food supplier at Waitakere Hospital changed, the staff wanted to know had the recent Mums coming though the Maternity Unit found it any good?? (They did)

We also attend the Maternity Forum, this is a more formal meeting that takes place monthly, and in attendance are Consumer Group Representatives, such as ourselves, the Midwifery Management Team, Obstetricians, Anaesthetists, LMC Midwives and Clinical Leaders/Directors. Much more in-depth issues are discussed here. We have also undertaken research at the behest of staff. The most recent survey we completed was over visitor times at the Maternity Unit. The staff wanted to know whether the visitor times were the best they could be, and should they be reviewed. Our research showed that the majority of Mums who had birthed and stayed postnataly at the Unit found the Visitors Times just right.

We are also involved with the steering committee for BFHI (Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative) for Waitamata DHB. BHFI was launched by WHO & UNICEF as a world wide initiative to encourage hospitals, health care facilities, particularly maternity wards, to adopt practices that fully protect, promote and support exclusive breast feeding from birth.

Waitamata DHB (Waitakere and North Shore Hospital) are aiming to have the assessment and accreditation process undertaken by November this year.

We are keen to get feedback, the good, the bad and the ugly!! If there is something you want raising or addressing please email lobbying@westaucklandparents.org.nz. Also, if there is something you feel we should be active in please let us know.