Purpose of the group

The National Screening Unit (NSU) established the Maori Advisory Group in December 2003 to support the NSU to achieve its vision, namely:

“Saving lives, reducing inequalities, and building the Nation’s health by leading the delivery of screening programmes, uncompromising in their quality and trusted by the communities we serve.”

Role of the group

The role of the group is to provide advice on:

• strategic issues in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the existing screening programmes and any further screening programmes
• strategic issues related to Māori and other population health screening
• Māori cultural matters
• reducing inequalities in health for Māori
• clinical and technical  matters related to screening
• ways to improve Māori coverage and participation in screening programmes
• and any matters that may from time to time be of relevance.

Membership

The Group comprises up to twelve members who have been appointed for their particular expertise in matters relating to Māori health and screening programmes.

Membership includes representation from:

• Public Health Registrars/Physicians
• Māori Independent Service Providers
• Māori Women’s Welfare League
• National Kaitiaki Group
• NSU Consumer Reference Group
• NSU Newborn Metabolic Advisory Group
• Māori health professionals
• Māori representative of the National Screening Advisory Committee
• Ministry of Women’s Affairs - (ex-officio)
• NSU Kaimahi Group