The Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme (NMSP) Governance Team was established in 2011 following a review of the previous Advisory Group.

The Governance Team meets annually, with a smaller Technical Group meeting two to three times per year.

Role of the Governance Team

The role of the NMSP Governance Team is to:

• review, critique and interpret annual programme reports and make recommendations to the NSU
• provide recommendations to the NSU Clinical Governance Group on changes to screened disorders or the introduction of new technology
• provide recommendations to the NSU Clinical Governance Group on research proposals for blood spot cards
• provide advice on the strategic direction of the NMSP
• provide advice from time to time on other areas of the NMSP as agreed by the Group and the NSU
• share responsibility with the NSU for providing liaison back to their respective formal bodies and constituencies.

Current membership

The Governance Team comprises members who collectively have a wide knowledge and experience of newborn metabolic screening, including health practioners, representatives of professional organisations and consumers. 

Newborn metabolic screening technical expert	Dr Bridget Wilcken
Midwife	Kerry Adams
Consumer representative	John Forman (NZORD)
Public Health Physician	Dr Gary Jackson
Paediatricians	Dr Paul Hofman & Dr Julian Vyas
Chemical Pathologist	Dr Richard Mackay
Commissioner for Children representative	Vacant
Legal advisor	Dr Fiona McCrimmon
Geneticist	Dr Joanne Dixon
Maori advisor	Deb Rowe
Pacific/ Consumer advisor	Prof Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop
NMSP metabolic physician	Dr Callum Wilson
NMSP director	Dr Dianne Webster

Role of the Technical Group

The role of the NMSP Technical Group is to:

• review, critique and interpret NMSP monitoring and evaluation reports and make recommendations to the NSU
• provide advice regarding technical and clinical aspects of the NMSP
• provide advice from time to time on other areas of the NMSP as agreed by the Group and the NSU
• share responsibility with the NSU, for providing liaison back to their respective formal bodies and constituencies.