Australian Private Midwives Association: Senate Inquiry into AHPRA, the day before International Midwives' Day

Monday, May 2, 2011

Senate Inquiry into AHPRA, the day before International Midwives' Day

Press Release:
Australian Private Midwives Association and Midwives in Private Practice

Midwives will present at a Senate Hearing into the national regulator – AHPRA - on Wednesday 4th May, the day before Midwives Day is celebrated around the world.

Marie Heath, National President of the Australian Private Midwives Association, today indicated that many unfounded complaints/notifications against midwives would be raised in a move that many see as part of an international war against homebirth.

“Midwives working in private practice are almost universally facing disciplinary action,” Mrs Heath stated “We have been swamped with midwives facing action from AHPRA. Most of these midwives then have restriction on their practice put in place before they have an opportunity to defend themselves. Many midwives face a sudden inability to practice, therefore cannot make a living. Women are then faced with the potential of not having their care provider in birth. It is unacceptable.”

The move to national registration had been welcomed by midwives hoping that this would provide consistency across states and an emphasis on timely responses to registration and complaints. “Unfortunately the opposite has occurred. Midwives in private practice seeking Medicare provider numbers which have been available since November have ended up bogged down in red tape, unsure of requirements and unable to get their provider numbers. Most are waiting months before they even know whether their application is being considered.” Joy Johnson from Midwives in Private Practice added.

Mrs Heath indicated that these two matters of complaints handling and processing of registration requirements would form part of the evidence to be given today. “For midwives in private practice Government reforms in maternity services aimed to provide access to Medicare for women for hospital births. However we are yet to see one midwife nationally able to provide continuity - pregnancy, birth and postnatal care. It is unacceptable and we expect the Minister to step in.”

“For the self-employed midwife there is not a lot to celebrate tomorrow on International Midwives Day. The international slogan is “The world needs midwives now more than ever”. It is disappointing that this theme does not seem to be accepted in Australia.”

Contacts: Liz Wilkes 0423 580585
Marie Heath 0400 774 725
Joy Johnson 04111 90448

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WHO ARE WE?

The Australian Private Midwives Association represents midwives in private practice. The association is focused on the safety of women, the ability of women to access quality midwifery care across Australia and the partnerships between women and midwives. APMA supports women’s choice in maternity options within a framework of quality and safety and believes in women being able to access midwives in all settings. APMA unites all midwives seeking to provide continuity of care for women.

APMA strives to provide midwives in private practice with information relevant to their practice and advocacy in the political process.

Enquiries:
Joy Johnston joy@aitex.com.au
Marie Heath NSW and National 0407 266004
Clare Lane (Vic) 0416 130219

APMA POSITION STATEMENT on PLANNED HOME BIRTHS WITH A MIDWIFE

1. We support home birth with a midwife in attendance for women who have uncomplicated labours. 2. We support and adopt the International Confederation of Midwives’ (ICM) Definition of the Midwife (2011), which is foundational to all midwifery practice, including homebirth. 3. We support the right of every woman to access a midwife as the primary maternity caregiver who works in partnership with the woman throughout the episode of care, who is able to be the responsible professional in attendance at the birth either at home or hospital, and who is able to make appropriate referral and transfer of care when required. 4. We support the right of a midwife to practise privately in a fee-for-service or funded relationship with the client, or to take up employment. 5. We support only those regulatory restrictions that are able to pass the ‘public interest’ test: “How does this promote health and wellbeing in the mother and baby?” 6. We support an expectation of equity, including equal pay for equal work throughout a midwife’s scope of practice. Midwives who provide primary maternity care are entitled to the same public funding, the same opportunity to charge a fee-for-service, the same access to hospital referral, and publicly supported indemnity insurance, as medical practitioners providing the same maternity services. 7. We support processes by which midwives are able to gain experience and mentoring in order to commence and demonstrate competence in homebirth practice. 8. We support seamless and reliable processes by which midwives are able to make hospital bookings for women planning homebirth, and arrange transfer to the hospital in a timely way when needed.