Chair of the “Reading the Signals” Maternity and Neonatal Outcomes Group

Overview

NHS England is inviting interested individuals to indicate their interest in this role by 21 March 2023.

NHS England is committed to making the care of maternity services in England safer, more personalised and more equitable.

In December 2020, NHS England established a revised Perinatal Quality Surveillance Model, which aims to provide a consistent and methodical oversight of all services so as to target support trusts in greatest need. We are seeking to improve the maternity and neonatal operational and outcomes data needed to make this model work as effectively as possible, as well as help manage changes in activity, monitor national programme delivery and identify where additional national action is required.

A particular concern about outcomes data is identified in recommendation 1 from Reading the Signals which calls for “the prompt establishment of a Task Force with appropriate membership to drive the introduction of valid maternity and neonatal outcome measures capable of differentiating signals among noise to display significant trends and outliers, for mandatory national use.” 

A new stakeholder group is being set up to address this recommendation (the “Reading the Signals” Maternity and Neonatal Outcomes Group) and we are looking to appoint a chair. As chair, you will build consensus across the maternity and neonatal clinical community and provide advice, scrutiny and challenge to drive the delivery of the recommendation.   

The group will contain a range of stakeholders from across the NHS and its partner organisations. It will also include service user voice representation who will play a vital role in ensuring users of maternity and neonatal services are involved in national policy and decision-making. As chair, you will be responsible for ensuring their voices are heard.

This is a high-profile, specialist role and will require extensive senior-level experience of working in and influencing the maternity and neonatal sector. We welcome candidates from health and wider sectors with the relevant skills and experience.

The chair will be required to attend the bi-monthly meeting of the “Reading the Signals” Maternity and Neonatal Outcomes Group, as well as a bi-monthly meeting of a broader Coordination group which will ensure that several data related projects are strategically aligned with the aim of supporting the Perinatal Quality Surveillance Model. The role will require approximately 4 days per month and is offered on a fixed-term basis until October 2023. It will be paid on a sessional basis.

Submitting your expression of interest

Please complete this expression of interest form and upload a copy of your CV by 21 March 2023.

Interviews are expected to take place later in the week commencing 20 March or in the week commencing 27 March 2023.

For more information, please contact england.maternitytransformation@nhs.net in the first instance.