I hope someone is able to answer Sue's questions.
ALSO - I have heard that in New Zealand midwives and doctors are covered by
a different type of insurance, like Third Party property, that is linked to
their registration (ie all midwives have the same insurance). Does anyone
on the list know about this? What other options are there?
I was strongly considering moving my insurance to Guild, when this
withdrawal was announced. I have kept membership with ANF (Aust Nurses
Federation) which give a $5 million PI Insurance to all members. There are
a lot of issues between midwives and ANF, and some may consider midwives
who belong to ANF to be running with the hares and hunting with the hounds.
However for me it was/is a financial decision - about half the cost of
Guild. I won't bore you with my personal story, but every $ counts.
Market forces apply in this as in other fields.
As long as the small numbers of midwives who practice outside rostered
hospital employment are expected to provide insurance above what is needed
for the rest of the profession, it will be uneconomic to insure us.
Recently Maine Health has taken over ownership of some Vic private
maternity hospitals, one of which is Mitcham. I and a few others have had
shared care visiting access at Mitcham, which means that women can book
with a midwife of their choice, as well as the obstetrician (who has the
bed rights). The other midwives also employed in the unit, were taking
private bookings. Maine now requires $10 million PI Insurance for
midwives, so the service has come to an abrupt halt, as none of us have
that amount. Guild was selling up to $10M, but that's off now.
I feel really sorry for those midwives who have had to withdraw their
services - they will be really hurting. Also those women who were booked.
The options for them will be significantly reduced.
Where to from here? I'm all ears.
Joy Johnston
-----Original Message-----
From: Sue Cookson [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 6:25 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Homebirths in Peril and Midwifery Insurance
Hi All,
On page 2 of today's Sydney Morning Herald is an article by Julie Rowbotham
about the decision by Guild Insurance from Sydney to withdraw indemnity
cover from independent midwives. Apparently the midwives were given 28 days
notice of the intent to withdraw the cover, and Emma Baldock from the ACT
is
quoted as informing her 12 pregnant clients to make alternative
arrangements.
I must have missed much of the discussion around this issue, but what are
the midwives who choose to have insurance cover going to do now??
Is this insurance company the only one offering such cover (at affordable
rates)?
Insurance cover is a requirement for midwifery accreditation to the ACMI -
how will this issue be addressed??
Are the midwives employed through the government funded programs (WA and
SA)
still able to work if they can't find indemnity cover?
The article was titled "Home births in peril as midwives lose insurance
cover". It keeps sending out that same message about fear, danger and
litigation around birth.
What do homebirth midwives intend to do??
Sue Cookson
Homebirth Australia
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