Health New Zealand: Information about maternity

Kia ora

I hope this finds you well.

I’m writing to let you know about two Health New Zealand surveys for women and whānau that are about to begin:

• Maternity Services Consumer Satisfaction Survey - intended for women/people who have recently given birth.
• Survey of bereaved women/whānau who have lost a pēpē/baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy and up to the 28th day following birth.

Focus groups and in-depth interviews will follow, with women/people, including those who have lost their baby/pēpē.

Understanding whānau is essential, particularly as we make changes in the health system, and the results of these surveys will inform future policy work. This year’s survey of bereaved women/people will also provide insights into the development of a national bereavement care pathway. We have commissioned Research New Zealand to carry out this research on our behalf.

In June, Research New Zealand will initially invite a small number of women/people  to take part in the survey, any lessons learned will be applied to the survey process, and the full list of participants will be contacted from late July / early August.   

About the surveys

You can find key messages about the surveys below, along with background information, and an attached Q&A for health professionals. You can now also find content on the Ministry of Health website about the survey [https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/life-stages/maternity-services/updates-work-maternity-services-sector#june2022] with detailed information to answer questions that  women and whanau may have.

How you can help

It’s possible that you or your teams may receive questions from women and whānau in your care. We’d be grateful if you could please support the survey by confirming to clients that this is a genuine survey from Health New Zealand, and that their contribution is important and can influence change. Please feel free to share the key messages provided below.

If you would like to share content on your channels

You can help encourage people to participate by confirming the survey is genuine. We are particularly keen for survey participation among women and whānau who are Māori or Pacific Island, women/pregnant people with a disability and parents in the rainbow community.

If you would like to help, you can use the key messages below and our website content on your channels, as you feel appropriate for your audiences, noting that participation is by invitation.

If you’d like material in a different format or for specific channel, please get in touch and we’ll provide copy to your specifications.

If you need more information 

Please do let us know if you require further information, or if you have feedback.

General 

• The Ministry is inviting women/people who have birthed to share their views on their experience of the maternity care they received.
• Two groups being invited to participate in the survey. The first survey is intended for women/people who have recently given birth and the second is intended for bereaved women/people who have lost a pēpē/baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy and up to the 28th day following birth.
• Focus groups and in-depth interviews will follow, with women/people, including those who have lost their baby/pēpē.
• The selection of participants invited to respond will be selected at random and will be selected from women/people who have given birth during a certain date range.
• The results of these surveys will inform future policy work. Understanding whānau is essential as we make changes in the health system.
• This year’s survey of bereaved women/people will provide insights into the development of a national bereavement care pathway.
• The surveys will be conducted in June/July and this year we will be adding to our survey methods to include a series of focus groups. This will add to the mix of online, postal telephone methods used previously.
• We have commissioned Research New Zealand to carry out this research on our behalf.
• Maternity providers can support the survey by confirming to your client that this is a genuine survey from the Health New Zealand, reinforcing the key messages, that their contribution is important and can influence change.

About the surveys

Online

• The cost of the maternity surveys will be covered by the Sponsored Data initiative that allows survey participants to access the online survey via mobile phone without incurring data use charges.
• This removes barriers to accessing the survey so that a more diverse range of participants can complete the surveys.

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/digital-health/other-digital-health-initiatives/sponsored-data

Focus groups

• This is the first time that focus groups have been included in the surveys.
• Health New Zealand is keen to look at experiences in more depth with a range of women and whānau, including Māori, Pasifika, Rainbow communities, people with disabilities and bereaved whānau.
• Participants can be chosen through expressing an interest when completing the online survey.
• The survey development has been supported by an Expert Advisory Group that contains representation from the above communities.

Equity

• We have taken care to ensure the surveys reflect the needs and sensitivities of different groups so that participation is not unduly difficult. We are working with our partners to ensure that all population groups are represented in these surveys so that meaningful data and findings can inform our maternity work programme.
• The cost of the maternity surveys will be covered by the Sponsored Data initiative that allows survey participants to access the online survey via mobile phone without incurring data use charges.

Amanda Rouse (she/her)

Senior Advisor, Maternity

Interim Health New Zealnd

M +64 0211900862

E  amanda.rouse@health.govt.nz

W https://www.hnz.govt.nz