Northern NSW Local Health District 
Health Care Quality Committee

Northern NSW Local Health District is seeking expressions of interest from individuals living in Northern NSW for appointment to the District Board's Health Care Quality Committee (HCQC) as a community participant.

Committee Purpose

The functions of the Health Care Quality Committee are to ensure that:

• A focus upon person-centred care is maintained, which aims to improve: Patient safety, Patient experience and Clinical outcomes.
• A focus upon improving clinician leadership is fostered throughout the LHD.
• A workplace culture based upon the NSW Health CORE values is nurtured.
• There is consultation with clinicians, community members and other stakeholders regarding the quality and safety of services.
• An effective clinical governance framework is implemented.
• Maintenance and improvement of standards of patient care and services by the Local Health District and to approve that framework.
• There is oversight of the identification and management of the high-level clinical risks on the LHD Risk Register, and clinical risks are a key consideration when assessing priorities for clinical practice improvement.
• An effective clinical policy framework is established to support the maintenance and improvement of standards of patient care and services.
• The Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Program is maintained.
• The safety and quality performance expectations of the LHD Service Agreement are met.
• Clear lines of accountability for clinical care are established and are communicated to clinical staff and staff who provide direct support to them.
• There is an effective complaint management system for the organisation developed and in place.
• There is a systematic process for the identification, and management of clinical incidents.
• Appropriate accreditation of healthcare facilities and their services is achieved.
• High standards of professional conduct and performance are maintained.
• There is compliance with relevant laws and policy directives.

Meeting frequency: Monthly

Meeting day: Tuesdays (2nd Tues of the month).

Time: 10am to 12 noon

Meeting location: Online via Microsoft Teams or in-person at Lismore. 

Term: initially 12 months

Your contribution

• Contribute to discussions as a patient/community representative 
• Be involved in reviews, planning and decision making

Your skills and experience

We are looking for someone who:

• Wants to make a positive contribution to improving local health services 
• Is able to think about health, including the NNSW LHD, as a system 
• Is able to analyse information and apply it to represent a broad/diverse community view
• Is able to participate in a discussion with a group of senior health employees
• Is able to constructively raise concerns and contribute to helping NNSWLHD find solutions to problems
• Can keep sensitive information confidential
• May have previously served on governance committees.

Pre-requisites

• To attend a meeting as a community participant you will need to provide evidence of having received COVID-19 vaccination.
• If you are not an existing member of a NNSWLHD community advisory group, you will also need to:
• Complete a National Police Check. Northern NSW Local Health District will pay for and arrange this check.
• Sign a Code of Conduct and a Confidentiality and Privacy Agreement 
• To join meetings virtually, you will require access to a computer with a working microphone and camera.
• Pre-meeting reading/preparation is required. 

Reimbursement 

Community representatives on NNSWLHD committees receive an honorarium payment in accordance with NSW Health consumer remuneration guidelines.

How to apply

Please complete the online Expression of Interest by close of business Friday, 29 September 2023.

Contact

For further information, please contact: 
Petra Muhlfait
Consumer Relations (Complaints) Manager 
Tel: 02 6620 7491
Email: petra.muhlfait@health.nsw.gov.au