----- Original Message -----
From: Larry & Megan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: '"'Roz Donnellan-Fernandez'"' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2001 9:32 PM
Subject: midwifery insurance
> Hi Roz, sent you a copy of my letter to Dean Brown. Phoned today and spoke
> to his liasion officer, had a bit of a chat and was told to put it in
> writing. The idiot told me to make contact with my GP for my future care.
I
> told him I had a healthcarer, you. He thought I should be seeing a doctor
> to make hospital arrangements. I had the pleasure of telling him that I
had
> birthed at home before, new the procedure and I had already made my backup
> booking. Anyway I think that we should get as many people as possible to
> write to Dean Brown appealing for his support. The more numbers, the
> greater the impact. I suggested to Jen that Homebirth Network should be
> contacting all its members to actively pledge support. If you can think of
> any other ways of annoying the minister then let me know. Also given SGIC
a
> serve today regarding their ad. Apparently it was supposed to say
something
> about hospital care. Rang the ACCC and he took the complaint seriously but
> there are a few issues re. health in advertising at the moment. Said if
> they run it again he would follow it up. Jen had better success with the
> insurance ombudsman, and he/she will be acting immediately on it. Jen can
> tell you more about it. So wev'e had some success today. The fights not
> over yet, silly people messing with pregnnat women, they should know
> better!
> Take care, love Megan.x
>
>
>
>
> Dear Hon Dean Brown,
>
> I wish to express my concern over the withdrawal of Guild Insurance from
> midwife Professional Indemnity Insurance. I am a mother of two, five
> months pregnant with my third child and planning on birthing at home with
> an Independent Midwife. I also am an active member in the consumer group
> Birth Matters and take into consideration how this effects other families
> and their choices in childbirth.
> To myself and my family the benefits of having an Independent midwife
> providing my HealthCare far outweigh the choices available to me through
> either the private or public hospital systems. I would like to point out
to
> you the type of care that is given by an Independent midwife and how this
> both compares to hospital care and my feelings on how it effects me
> personally.
> - my appointments are in my own home. I do not have to work around my
> children's sleep times or find childcare. My appointments on average last
> at least 2 hours, allowing plenty of time to discuss any issues I have
> regarding my pregnancy. My understanding is that with an Obstetrician or
> the public birthing centres appointments are only allocated 15 mins or a
> double appointment is made if required. My children are involved with my
> midwife and enjoy helping her do the health checks on myself and the baby.
> They are being educated that birth is a normal process and treated as
such.
> - My first baby was born at a public hospital and I used water as an
> effective method of pain relief, not requiring any analgesics. My second
> child was a planned birth at home and I spent quite a bit of time in a
> birthing pool. I went on to birth my baby in the water without any other
> pain relief and an excellent outcome for myself and baby. I intend on
using
> water with this labour and to birth in water if appropriate at the time.
> Whilst this option is available to me in hospital, especially at a
birthing
> centre, I am not guaranteed a room or that a bath will be available to me
> at the time of my labour. I may also have the problem of the midwife not
> being confident with a water birth and therefor risking the outcome. The
> Independent Midwife I have is supportive and competent in water birth and
> has admitting rights in our chosen back-up Hospital, should we need to
> transfer.
> - Birthing at home allows me to stay completely relaxed in my own
> environment and places less stress on my family. We are interested in
> having our other children present at the birth and for this situation they
> are certainly going to be more comfortable in their own home. Birthing
> women are not encouraged to come into hospital until their labour is well
> established. Often this is a time when a women needs to centre into
herself
> and focus on the eminent birth of her child. I have absolutely no desire
to
> be in a car whilst having strong contractions meant for birthing my baby.
> This transfer often slows a women's labour until she feels comfortable in
> her new surroundings. I see no point in extending labour any longer than
> need be and only a women who has birthed can truly share that knowledge.
> - The hours after my second child's birth was also extremely satisfying.
> There was no rush to clean us up and take down the baby's details and move
> us out. My baby was loved not treated. We all sat around in the comfort of
> our lounge whilst my midwife spent time looking at the placenta and
> explaining how it functions. This time could not be given to us in a
> hospital situation as staffing levels just do not permit this. I have no
> intention of spending any longer in hospital than necessary if that is
> where I have to birth and I do not look forward to placing my new born
baby
> in a capsule and have to drive home after the birth.
> My current situation is that my midwife's insurance expires at the end of
> July and she does not wish to continue practicing uninsured. I am left
with
> no choice but to have my care provided to me by the public system. I am
> devastated that my option to birth at home has been removed from me. I am
> calling upon the government to provide indemnity insurance to these
> midwives who are the most deserved group of women. At the very least I
> believe they should be given an interim indemnity insurance so that they
> can fulfil the commitment that they have made to the birthing women. I
have
> a few months to wait for some solution but there are women whose births
are
> weeks away and the stress that this will have on them is greatly unfair.
My
> midwife has chosen to work independently so she can provide continuity of
> care to the women and is not likely to return to the hospital environment.
> It will be a great loss to this state to lose the skill and level of care
> that she and other midwives provide.
> I have given a very personal account of how this has effected me as I do
> not believe that you understand how important this type of care is. I hope
> to have provided you with some information on what an Independent Midwife
> does and how important she becomes to a family. I urge you to give this
> your immediate attention and quickly get Independent Midwives practicing
> again.
>
> Yours Sincerely
> Megan Resch.
>
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