Youth Health

Terms of Reference for the Youth Health Advisory Group

1. Purpose of Advisory Group

Role of the Advisory Group

The purpose of the Youth Health Advisory Group is to provide advice to the Ministry of Health’s Population Health Directorate on the implementation of the Youth Health Work Programme.

The role of the Advisory Group is to:

• provide expertise and views on the establishment of youth health services
• give advice on implementation and other key issues
• provide advice on consulting the wider sector on key issues.

Scope

The Ministry of Health’s Youth Health Work Programme identifies three key areas of work which aim to improve youth access to health services and to increase research and workforce capacity:

• Work-stream 1: Youth Access to Health Services – to identify needs and gaps, and consider how to improve access to primary health services for young people, including school-based and community-based services.
• Work-stream 2: Knowledge, Research and Development – to support knowledge, research and development in the area of youth health, including the development of quality standards.
• Work-stream 3: Workforce Support and Development – to increase workforce capacity, and to provide training opportunities and support for professionals working in the area of youth health.

The advice of the Youth Health Advisory Group will span all three work-streams of the Youth Health Work Programme.

Longer-term objectives

The Ministry of Health’s long-term vision is that youth health services are sustainably funded through District Health Boards. The Advisory Group will assist the Ministry to achieve that goal.

The work of the Advisory Group is expected to contribute to the following long-term objectives:

• Improved health outcomes for New Zealand’s young people.
• Increased access to a range of quality youth-friendly health services.
• Reduced inequalities among different groups of young people.

Linkages

Many directorates within the Ministry of Health work on issues that have an impact on the health and wellbeing of young people. This includes:

• Maori Health
• Pacific health
• Primary Health Care
• Sexual and Reproductive Health
• Mental health, including Addictions
• Suicide Prevention
• Healthy Eating, Healthy Action
• Oral Health

2. Terms of Engagement

Membership of the Advisory Group

Membership of the Advisory Group will be made up of professionals and organisations that work to improve the health and wellbeing of young people. Membership will include:

• health professionals working with young people (including doctors, nurses and allied health professionals)
• other professionals and organisations that work to improve the health and wellbeing of young people (including social / youth workers, educators, New Zealand Aoteaoroa Adolescent Health and Development)
• DHB Funders and Providers.

Governance Guidelines

The Youth Health Advisory Group will be governed by the following guidelines.

• Members of the Advisory Group will be appointed by the Ministry of Health.
• Members are expected to declare any areas where they think there is a potential conflict of interest.
• The Chairperson (Senior Manager of Population Health Directorate) will act as media spokesperson for the Advisory Group if required – members are able to speak as members of their own organisations, not as members of the Advisory Group.
• Members are expected to work together collaboratively, and to act in the best interests of the youth health sector as a whole.
• Meetings will generally proceed openly and transparently, although the Chairperson can request confidentiality on particular issues if necessary.
• Members are expected to use their judgement when discussing issues raised in Advisory Group meetings.

Term of Appointment

It is expected that the Youth Health Advisory Group will be in place for up to two years. The first term of the Advisory Group will be from June 2008 to June 2009, and it is anticipated that between four and six meetings will be held in the first year. The functions, purpose and membership of the Advisory Group will be reviewed towards the end of the first term. A decision will be made at the time whether a second term is needed – this will largely depend on progress with implementation.

Any member of the Advisory Group can resign by advising the Chair in writing.

Fees and Allowances

Members of the Advisory Group (except DHB employees and organisations already contracted to provide advice), are entitled to fees for attendance at meetings. The attendance fees are set in accordance with the Cabinet Office Fees Framework for Members of Statutory and Other Bodies Appointed by the Crown [Cabinet Office Circular CO (06) 08].

• The attendance fee for the Youth Health Advisory Group is $300 per meeting. The fee covers attendance at the meeting and any preparation required.
• Locum fees will not be paid.
• Travel and accommodation will be provided for members and booked through the Ministry of Health.
• Where an Advisory Group member uses their personal vehicle to travel to Advisory Group meetings they are able to claim 62 cents per kilometre for distances traveled over 30 kilometres.
• Claims for other expenses relating to Advisory Group meetings must be accompanied by receipts and tax code declarations.

Secretariat Support

The Ministry of Health will provide Secretariat Support to the Youth Health Advisory Group. This will include:

• Making travel and accommodation bookings.
• Preparation of agendas and reports for Advisory Group meetings.
• Preparing minutes of meetings and documenting decisions made by the Advisory Group.
• Establishing and maintaining a webpage for the Advisory Group on the Ministry of Health’s website.