National Renal Advisory Board (NRAB)

Terms of Reference

Purpose

To support provision of renal services to patients by:

Providing expert advice on all aspects of renal service provision
Identifying priorities for renal service development
Advising on renal service development at a DHB, regional or national level
Developing and maintaining renal care standards
Ensuring audit activities of renal services are undertaken regularly
Involving consumers in decision making
Promoting the monitoring of chronic kidney disease

Accountability

The National Renal Advisory Board (NRAB) reports, as appropriate (via documents or verbally), to renal departments, District Health Boards and the Ministry of Health.

Members of the NRAB, as representatives of their departments, institutions, professional bodies and consumer groups, provide input from these groups to the NRAB and from the NRAB back to these groups.

Subcommittees

The following sub committees will report to the NRAB:

Audit & Standards
Transplantation

Professional bodies

The following professional bodies will report to the NRAB:

RSA Nursing Advisory Group
New Zealand Board of Dialysis Practice (NZBDP)

Membership

The NRAB will have a sufficient membership to be able to represent and/or liaise with all relevant stakeholders in renal service provision.

The membership will consist of employees from various DHBs throughout NZ and be represented by the following:

3 x renal physicians from major renal centres (incl Chair of NZ Nephrology group)
1 x renal physician from a smaller non metropolitan centre
1 x paediatric renal physician
1 x renal service manager representative
2 x representative for Nursing (incl Chair RSA Nursing Advisory Group NZ Renal Society of Australasia)
1 x representative for renal technicians (Chair of NZ BDP)
1 x Chief Operating Officer (COO) of a DHB
1 x Medical Director Kidney Health New Zealand [ex-officio]
1 x Ministry of Health representative [ex-officio]
1 x Consumer group representative [ex-officio]

The Chairperson

The chairperson will be the current Chair of the New Zealand Nephrology group.

Quorum

The quorum will be 5 members, assuming that there is an appropriate representation according to the agenda for each meeting.

Term of membership

2 x three year terms is the maximum for any one member, including the role of chairperson.

Current members and their term of office

Committee member	Original start date	Current term end date	Current term to be reviewed at the meeting held in	Conflict of interest declaration form next due
Adrian Buttimore	2002	Oct 09	Nov / 09	Feb 2010
Fredric Dobb	2009	Oct 11	MM/ YY	Feb 2010 Feb 2010
John Collins	2002	Oct 09	Feb / 10	Feb 2010
Debbie Eastwood	2005		MM / YY	Feb 2010
Maggie Fisher	2006		MM / YY	Feb 2010
Tonya Kara	2007		MM / YY	Feb 2010
Kelvin Lynn	2002		MM / YY	Feb 2010
Karin Norman	2008		MM / YY	Feb 2010
Norman Panlilio	2007		MM / YY	Feb 2010
Grant Pidgeon	2002	Oct 09	Nov / 09	Feb 2010
Johan Rosman	2006		MM / YY	Feb 2010
Nick Polaschek	2009		MM / YY	Feb 2010
Consumer Rep	2009		MM / YY	Feb 2010

Establishment of memberships

In establishing and maintaining membership of the NRAB:

Nominations for new membership to be either identified by the members of the NRAB or sought from the relevant groups
All applications for membership to the NRAB will be accepted by the Chairperson
The NRAB will review its membership annually at the first meeting of the year and take the appropriate action to ensure the Board is represented accordingly
At the annual review of current membership, each existing member will complete a conflict of interest declaration form
Further identified expertise will be co-opted as required, for a defined period to be specified at the time of co-opting (for example primary care)

Meetings

NRAB meetings will be held 3 times a year, with interim teleconferences arranged if appropriate.

Secretariat

The holder of the current Chairperson position will be responsible for providing the Board with secretarial services to enable this committee to communicate and function effectively The Chairperson may delegate this role to the Ministry of Health representative if preferred.

Minutes and agendas

An Agenda pack, including all support meeting papers, will be circulated 1 week prior to the meeting.
Draft minutes of each meeting, which have been previewed by the Chairperson, will be circulated to all relevant stakeholders within 2 weeks for comment on any final changes.

Apologies

Apologies must be communicated to the Chairperson of the committee (or secretariat) in advance of the meeting, where appropriate forwarding any comments, concerns and or queries to the secretary for inclusion to the meeting.

Meeting fees

Attendance fees and travel costs will be met in accordance with Ministry of Health policy for non-DHB members.

Declarations of conflict of interest

NRAB members must declare if they believe they have a conflict of interest on a subject, which will prevent them from reaching an impartial decision or undertaking an activity consistent with the Advisory Group’s functions. At this point the member should withdraw themselves from the discussion and/or activity.

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Page last updated: 21 October 2009