RE: [ozmidwifery] SalariedVersusContract

[Sally Westbury]

I don’t think that we should have to run business to be considered to be a profession.   The really important issues are around the regulation of midwifery. I believe that midwifery should be regulated by professional midwifery organizations. For example. If my husband, the electrician were contracted to the hospital to install electrical equipment, the hospital would not provide him with guidelines because he has guidelines/rules for how he should do it. These are standards provided by his training and licencing bodies, which is from electricians. Similarily we should be able to be contracted to the hospital to provide midwifery services and be expected and trusted to work to a professional standard as guided by our professional body.   If a doctor comes to work in the hospital where are the guidelines for his practice.. don’t we just expect he will work to a certain standard.  Come to think about it the doctors usually provide the guidelines for their particular likes and dislikes and the midwives run around providing gloves.. powdered or not powdered according etc ect  to the protocols that he provides.   If we are going to change maternity services for women let  us also put something in place that establishes us as autonomous practioners.