I understand fully Jan and have already
filled in my hand (and one for each of my family) and have had others sign the
sheets –I will send them off at the end of this week. It was just an opportunity to get a room
full of signatures and when one person –the second one to see the
petition- saw the word Practioner the room then entered into the debate and
people were not comfortable with the term and thus the petition. I was a bit dismayed as the overall
issue in my mind was far to important to worry about
wording that someone like Abbott would simply not get anyway!
I understand you Jan, thank you for not
taking offense to my original posting, and assure you I am still handing out
the hands!
Cheers
Jo
-----Original Message-----
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of Jan Robinson
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2005
9:02 AM
To: Jo Bainbridge
Cc: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au
Subject: [ozmidwifery] Midwife
Practitioners are midwives with theirown practice
Hi Jo
No offense meant with the midwife practitioner title - we are going to Canberra
to get a senate inquiry going specifically into the insurance crisis that
exists for independent midwife practitioners. Almost all of the IPMs would have
the words MIDWIFE PRACTITIONER on their business cards. The word PRACTITIONER
tells the world that this particular midwife conducts their own private
practice and distinguishes them from a midwife who is in employment. IPMs also
use their business cards to tell the world that they are specialists in NATURAL
BIRTHS (we don't want to be confused with the Nurse Practitoners who can
prescribe drugs) We believe that if a woman is sick enough to have to take
prescribed drugs then she needs to consult with a medical practitioner.
We IPMs are specifically going to Canberra to right some wrongs, including the
inequality that exists in Government support for maternity health professionals
so while we are there we are also going to petition Tony Abbot to re-look at
Medicare provider numbers for midwives who provide primary care to pregnant
women.
Obstetricians, GPs, physios, chiros all have medicare provider numbers.
Obstetricians also get some support for their insurance premiums.
Midwife practitioners are primary carers and perform exactly the same service
that an obstetrician does for a healthy woman and yet they have to do it
without the benefit of Government Medicare support and without any indemnity
insurance. We want to right this wrong. If we get Medicare provider numbers then
the flow-on will occur for our colleagues who work in primary care case load
situations.
IPMs are not covered vicariously by any employer - therefore we need to look at
ways of obtaining indemnity insurance for oursleves. Seeking Federal Government
support is just ONE of the avenues we are exploring - We need to do SOMETHING
about insurance before we become extinct! Once the private arm of midwifery
disappears women wanting personalised care from a midwife will have to go
hopping - already there are more unattended home births than those having a
registered midwife in attendance.
it will take years for the hospitals to have every midwife taking on her own
case load. forming true partnerships with women and begin to offer women a
choice of birth venue. Until that happens I hope our colleagues will continue
to support us in attempting to provide a safe, satisfying and COST FREE service
to women who want to give birth at home.
Hope this helps you understand our cause and I hope lots of SA supporters of
primary midwifery care will fill out those hands and write lots of letters to
Tony Abbott and send them to him for International Midwives Day. Remind Tony to
join in the celebrations on 5th May when you sign your letter.
Yours in women's choice
Jan
Jan Robinson Independent
Midwife Practitioner
National Coordinator Australian Society of Independent Midwives
8 Robin Crescent South Hurstville NSW 2221 Phone/Fax: 02 9546 4350
e-mail address: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> website:
www.midwiferyeducation.com.au
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.15 - Release Date: 4/16/2005
