Day 2 | Session 2 | Plenary | Beyond just surviving
- focusing on what is 'quality of care'

Completing the quality cycle, setting up a GAU

An adverse event in our emergency department prompted thoughts on how we could improve the experience of pregnancy loss for women. The talk describes the process and challenges of establishing our new Gynaecology assessment unit (GAU) at Middlemore Hospital and gives some advice on change management.


Dr Derek Souter
FRCOG FRANZCOG DDU
Clinical Director O&G
Middlemore Hospital
Auckland

Dereck has had an interesting and varied career. He was a Medical Officer in the Royal New Zealand Navy. He gained the MRCOG whilst working in the UK.  He joined the High Risk Obstetric team at National Women’s Hospital before jointly founding a private Obstetric practice “Origins”.  

He has always had an interest in Ultrasound which he continues in his current role as Clinical Director Women’s Health at Counties Manukau. 

He is passionate about women having good health information and empowering them to make informed choices to lead their best lives.

He enjoys life.

Abortion is now legal; how do we provide high quality care

We will review local research on the impact of abortion law reform on access to abortion care in New Zealand. Now that abortion care is usual health care, how do we ensure high quality and equitable care.


Associate Professor Michelle Wise
Deputy Head, Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences
University of Auckland
Consultant Gynaecologist, Te Toka Tumai Auckland

Associate Professor Michelle Wise is Deputy Head of Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Auckland, and a Consultant Gynaecologist at Toka Tumai Auckland. 

She developed the first clinical guideline on abortion in Aotearoa New Zealand for the Ministry of Health, was Advisor to the RANZCOG abortion guideline committee, and is a past-Chair of the Abortion Provider Group of Aotearoa New Zealand (APGANZ). 

Dr Wise has supervised many undergraduate and postgraduate student research projects to completion. She has over 75 published peer-reviewed papers, has secured over $6 million in research grants, and presents regularly at national and international conferences. 

Take a look at yourself, then make a change - the power of routinely collected clinical data

Prospectively collected outcome data in clinical quality registries which guide change projects based on the knowledge of your own outcomes has been shown to improve quality of care, patient outcomes and patient experience as well as health care efficiency and productivity.


Dr Pelle Kempe
Medical Lead, Obstetrician Gynaecologist
Palmerston North Hospital
Te Whatu Ora | Health NZ MidCentral


Originally from Sweden, where he trained to become an Obstetrician Gynaecologist, Pelle moved to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2017 and work as a generalist Obstetrician Gynaecologist and Clinical Director at Women’s Health, Te Whatu Ora MidCentral, Palmerston North Hospital. 

He is currently a RANZCOG Councillor and Chair of the RANZCOG Aotearoa New Zealand Committee. 

He has a strong interest in leadership and quality improvement based on continuous audit and prospective outcome measurement and he has led labour and birth quality improvement projects in both in New Zealand and overseas.

Beyond just surviving: focusing on what is quality of care - national perspective where maternity is invisible

Jane has had a unique perspective of quality as Co-lead for for National Maternity Clinical Network.  As the HNZ system has evolved since its inception starting a Network and navigating the ever-changing environment has been challenging, but keeping a clear focus on what is quality and what maternity needs is a priority.


Dr Jane Fielder
Co-Lead, Maternity National Clinical Network
Obstetrician Gynaecologist, Te Whatu Ora Waitaha

Jane is an Obstetrician Gynaecologist in Waitaha Canterbury and is also Transalpine for the West Coast.  She is Clinical Lead for Obstetrics for Canterbury.  She works across the Alps in both departments supporting the rural generalist model in obstetrics.  Jane has a focus on rural health sustainability and workforce.  She also provides O and G services for the Chathams Islands.

For the last two and a half years she has been co-lead for the National Maternity Network which was established in July 2024.