I want to post about the births I attend, about the research, everything that is googled day after day on my blog. My days are taken up with wonderful women and lots of births, however my mind is full of what is going on in our political arena. There is no justice.

The senate have just released their findings. click on the picture to read their findings

In a nut shell

Recommendation 1 The Committee recommends that the Health Legislation Amendment (Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill 2009, the Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Bill 2009 and the Midwife Professional Indemnity (Run-off Cover Support Payment) Bill 2009 be passed.

The descent by the Greens was a little more understanding but didn’t really mention the woman’s right to chose.

The main problem with the whole document is that it is focused on insurance for midwives (although the Greens to recommend a waiver until this is sorted out). It focuses on midwifery as an entity to be controlled or decided upon. The woman’s right to chose was not the focus for any one of these senators. I think politicians have totally forgotten that they are supposed to be representing the public and not the AMA or RANZCOG.

There was a big discussion around midwives having to talk to GP’s to get their permission or include them in the process. It being their decision on referral to an Ob.

During care, My clients in collaboration with me (as care provider) decide if they require a referral to the specialist in complications of birth. If they decide it is the right thing then we go straight to the specialist. Why on earth would we need to bring in another provider who is neither a specialist in normal birth or complications of birth?

On top of that, in this state GP Ob scheme is in chaos, being picked up by the Dept of Health, accused of over servicing clients for money without any specialist knowledge. How much cheaper for the department to have a midwife to Ob direct referral system. All counselling done by midwives who can order any screening if requested by the client instead of this 3rd party creaming of money. Even if it were simply down to economics it would be the obvious solution.

They did make mention of the lack of actual thought that has gone into how any hair brained scheme will work. This is made more difficult by the number of extras the department of health have made up. eg eligible midwife? A midwife is a midwife and there is already an international definition. Midwives can work in any location throughout midwifery so what else is there?

How would collaboration happen? I’ve already covered that in my post on collaboration.

I have always had difficulty with the pushing of insurance. We want the right to register to support women at homebirth. All women already know we don’t carry insurance, it should still be their right to chose.

In the UK when this issue has come up their board of midwifery have stepped in. Recently the midwives have been fighting the same battle and as before their board has stepped in once again.

From the Independent

The NMC said: “We do not have the legal power to impose indemnity insurance on nurses and midwives. It is extremely difficult to obtain indemnity insurance on the open market. Imposing such a requirement could place an unreasonable expectation on nurses and midwives because they may not be able to find the insurance. For these reasons we have reinforced the need for them to be honest with their clients about this situation.”

I wonder if when a national board is formed prior to 2010 registering whether it will show the same common sense. Somehow I doubt it. The medical lobby in this country seems to be too powerful. There doesn’t seem to be a government minister who is willing to stand up and be counted over this.

I have been told that no ministers would be willing to talk to a group if I were a part of it. I find this difficult to believe as I’m just a midwife who stands up for womens rights. However It may be more that I will not compromise the rights of women for the right to register and wade through all this bullshit with a government that just wont listen to it’s public. I sometimes wonder what country we actually live in.

I don’t want to compromise my integrity to deal this this underhand control of our country by the medical establishment. Our SA minister has claimed that he doesn’t support private enterprise. OMG is he kidding? So it’s not about safety or control it’s about private enterprise.

There are plenty of other ways they are trying to shut me up. It is scary to see how the country really works, how they can intimidate and persecute people in the name of their laws and even when it’s not law people in high places can over ride it. There is nothing I can do about my label as a dangerous and outrageous practitioner except tell everyone that my heart is true and my commitment absolute.

What can we do to ensure that every woman has the right to birth at home?

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Related posts:

1. The Final Cut
2. Life Matters on Homebirth
3. Homebirth – The Manic Midwives
4. Exemption!
5. Plea for Homebirth