Re: Midwifery Insurance Again
What will become of our midwives as this insurance virus spreads ? How can the public trust midwives with birth if the 'powers that be' say they are a high risk group and remove them from practicing? There is potential for a very positive message to be put out about this crisis - and midwives and consumers need to lobby insurance companies as well as governments to understand that it is not childbirth itself which carries high risk, but the depersonalized medical model of care, in which women are often not involved in informed deciision-making about their care or the risks and benefits of alternatives. In NZ the college of midwives has successfully obtained another 3 years of full PI cover for its members, on the strength of a water tight case that insuring midwifery care is a low risk prospect for insurers. The same has successfully been achieved by the WA Community Midwives Program last year, where the argument was put to the WA Government's reinsurer that midwifery by its very nature is low risk, because women who develop complications are referred to specialists for care. Women are also supported by one-to-one midwifery care to take responsibility for their care and their decisions and to be well informed about their choices when complications do arise. The insurer was so persuaded of the merits of these arguments that they blocked moves by the King Edward Memorial Hospital to take over the CMP as a solution to the lack of PI cover for CMP midwives, saying that if the government merged the CMP with the hospital they would withdraw their cover for the Program!! It was the very autonomy of this midwife-led program which the insurer saw as it guarantee of low risk. The National Maternity Action plan (see www.communitymidwifery.iinet.net.au/nmap.html) outlines these issues and recommends that governments embrace the widespread adoption of community midwifery models of care as a major part of the solution to the indemnity crisis affecting maternity services. Obviously it will be necessary to have other measures too to support the continuation of obstetric services for the minority of women who actually need them. But the insurance crisis is a major opportunity for us all to put forward the argument that mainstream, publicly funded access to community midwifery care will go a long way towards addressing the spiraling litigation in obstetrics! Midwives need not and should not be tarred with the same brush as obstetricians! We need to get out there and market what midwives offer as a unique service which women value, which produces good outcomes, and which results in less exposure (of both women and insurers) to risk through greatly reduced rates of intervention. Barb. Dr Barbara Vernon National President The Maternity Coalition -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
Midwifery Insurance Again
Hi all, the below article was in Adelaide's The Advertiser on Monday 20th, also an article in The Australian today. What will become of our midwives as this insurance virus spreads ? How can the public trust midwives with birth if the 'powers that be' say they are a high risk group and remove them from practicing? Totally unfair! Cheers Megan Resch HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WITH NO INDEMNITY INSURANCE JOIN FORCES Crisis panel formed as midwives lose cover BYLINE: By Health Reporter JILL PENGELLEY EDITION: 1 SECTION: News HEALTH professionals have formed a ``crisis committee'' to deal with growing problems finding indemnity insurance.Formation of the Professional Indemnity Crisis Committee was announced yesterday as the state's largest nursing agency revealed it could no longer obtain cover for its midwives. The committee includes representatives from the Australian Medical Association, the Australian Private Hospitals Association and the Nursing Agencies Association of Australia. The group has written to Premier Mike Rann asking for an urgent meeting. On Friday, SA nursing agency NASANSB, which lists 2000 nurses, learned it could not secure cover for its 170 midwives. The agency's managing director, Associate Professor Lyn Hepburn-Brown, said yesterday she had been to London to talk to an underwriter. ``They weren't interested in the Australian market,'' she said. ``It was (seen as) a litigation minefield.'' One insurer talked about charging $800,000 to cover 170 midwives, compared with the $70,000 the agency paid to cover all 2000 staff last year, she said. Since 4pm Friday the agency's midwives have been able to accept only general nursing work. Professor Hepburn-Brown said insurance still was being sought and staff who were rostered but could not work would be paid by the agency. It was also possible for hospitals to agree to provide the cover. AMA state president Dr Michael Rice said it was the State Government' s job to fix the insurance crisis. ``People won't work without being covered,'' he said. ``If they're not going to work, what's the community got? Services will disappear and that's the most serious matter.'' Dr Rice said legislative change and a change in community expectations about insurance payouts were called for. ``The community has to start getting real about what they can expect to get for nothing. ``Rann's got to show some leadership and fix this problem,'' Dr Rice said. NASANSB is the first agency to lose midwife insurance. Others could follow as they seek policy renewal. The Advertiser (Adelaide, Australia), 05-20-2002, pp 003 -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
Re: Midwifery Insurance.
Title: Midwifery Insurance. I think that IMP Rosie Smart (formerly Vaher) may have suggested this to you. She still feels strongly aboutthe consumer/ parentpay type of insurance set up. I will find out more Jackie, she is actually off linebut I will ask her and write back. Cheers Marilla (milly) - Original Message - From: Jackie Mawson To: Ozmidwifery List Sent: Friday, December 07, 2001 10:34 AM Subject: Midwifery Insurance. Hi guys,Remember we were discussing the insurance crisis once, and someone mentioned the way this is handled overseas, in that the parents take out insurance themselves, rather than the midwife? I hope the person who made this comment could please let me know more? Ie, Which country, which insurance company, etc? Thankyou in anticipation.Birthing Beautifully,Jackie Mawson.Convenor of Birthrites: Healing After Caesarean Inc.Visit our Website at: http://www.birthrites.orgEmail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Phone: 61 08 9418 8949Please note I am not a Professional Healthcare Provider, and all opinions given in this email are not to be taken as medical, or legal, advice. Please seek such advice from the relevant professional service.Email me your postal details for a FREE copy of our quarterly magazine, if you live within Australia - Overseas postage costs are above budget, sorry!Too many Gods;so many creeds,Too many pathsthat wind andwind,When just the artof being kindIs all the sadworld needs...--
Midwifery Insurance.
Title: Midwifery Insurance. Hi guys, Remember we were discussing the insurance crisis once, and someone mentioned the way this is handled overseas, in that the parents take out insurance themselves, rather than the midwife? I hope the person who made this comment could please let me know more? Ie, Which country, which insurance company, etc? Thankyou in anticipation. Birthing Beautifully, Jackie Mawson. Convenor of Birthrites: Healing After Caesarean Inc. Visit our Website at: http://www.birthrites.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: 61 08 9418 8949 Please note I am not a Professional Healthcare Provider, and all opinions given in this email are not to be taken as medical, or legal, advice. Please seek such advice from the relevant professional service. Email me your postal details for a FREE copy of our quarterly magazine, if you live within Australia - Overseas postage costs are above budget, sorry! Too many Gods; so many creeds, Too many paths that wind and wind, When just the art of being kind Is all the sad world needs... --
Fw: midwifery insurance
- 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
FW: Midwifery Insurance
Hi Thought you might be interested in reading this email I recieved from Philip Cocks - he was interviewed by Chanel 7 on Thursday regarding the PI issue. He raised some interesting points. Cheers Jane Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond Caring, Professional Midwifery Services Sydney Visit http://www.pregnancy.com.au Dear Jane Many thanks for forwarding information regarding your attempts to arrange continuing indemnity cover for independent midwifery. I think that it is unlikely that a private insurance company will be prepared to offer the type of cover that you need at a price that you can afford. Therefore I think that you should push for inclusion in the Treasury Managed Fund(or equivalent in other states)which covers all nursing and medical staff in public hospitals. The fact that NSW Health acknowledges that homebirth should be an option places some responsibility on them to help you in the present crisis. Health Departments would be more receptive to the proposal if your Association agreed to participate in peer review etc. I note that one of the options that your colleagues are considering is "going bare". A signed statement from your clients to the effect that they were aware that you were not indemnified would probably have no validity in the event of a claim. In the present medicolegal environment the only avenue for financial assistanceopen to parents of a child with major neurological abnormality is to lodge a claim against the birth attendant. One could argue that it is ethically improper to deny that access to assistance by deliberately working without liability cover. The Health Care Liability Bill presently before Parliament in NSW will require doctors to carry indemnity cover as a condition of registration and I expect that this requirement will flow on to other health professionals. Good luck with your campaign. Please let me know if I can help in any way. Yours sincerely Phil Cocks Obstetrician Gynaecologist AMA (NSW Branch) Counsillor Westmead NSW
re midwifery insurance
I have emailed all the WA greens with info re this very important matter, hope they are also being tackled in the other states, yours in midwifery Pete Malavisi. _ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
Midwifery insurance
I have sent that wonderful letter that Tina wrote, to some politicians here in SA and have had some favourable replies including one pollie who has had homebirths and described midwifery care as "close to her heart". At least with the election looming we may have ears willing to be tugged!! Jackie
Re: Midwifery insurance
In a message dated 12/07/01 11:07:57 PM AUS Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I have sent that wonderful letter that Tina wrote, to some politicians here in SA and have had some favourable replies including one pollie who has had homebirths and described midwifery care as close to her heart. At least with the election looming we may have ears willing to be tugged!! Jackie Fantastic Jackie. Many hands make light work !! I see the key to the whole midwifery scene in Australia is to make it an election issue. The insurance fiasco may be just the catalyst needed here. The upside of this whole thing is that it has united women and midwives on the political front lines and this is inspiring. Yours in birth, Tina Pettigrew Birthworks Independent CBE and aspiring B.Mid Midwife. Convenor, Aust B. Mid Student Collective. As we trust the flowers to open to new life - So we can trust birth Harriette Hartigan. --- -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
Midwifery Insurance
Dear all This issue is not about place of birth. If it was, then on the evidence PI insurance should be lowest for those midwives attending women with uncomplicated pregnancy's births at home. This issue is not about safety, or evidence - based practice. If it was, the majority of both obstetricians and midwives would be salaried through the public sector and midwifery led care would be the gold standard and the norm for quality maternity provision in this country. This issue is not about responsible governance, or equity and access to "health for all Australian families." If it was, successive governments would have implemented a no fault liability scheme years ago. This issue, like so many others that involve the health well being of women children is about MONEY and POWER. At its basest level, it is about the continuing exploitation and colonisation of these bodies as financially lucrative market places. "Closing the gap" is a clear demonstration of further aggressive attempts to "sew up" many women's nonexistent "choice" in childbirth in this country. The metaphors and language are overwhelmingly explicit and self - explanatory. This issue is about basic human rights: it is about every woman's right in Australia to access and equity in choosing a midwife as her primary caregiver during pregnancy, birth, and after her baby is born. The insurance issue is providing a unique opportunity to send loud, clear messages into the community and the government with regard to: * introducing a national no fault liability scheme; * maternity funding reform that enables equity and access for all women to midwifery led care in the home, the hospital, and the community; * legislative review and amendment to facilitate appropriate regulation of the midwifery profession in this country; * a need for expansion of culturally appropriate birthing services and recognition of indigenous midwives; * the cessation of scandlous exploitation and inefficient allocation of taxpayers resources, that contribute to propping up systems perpetuating unnecessary and harmful interventions on mothers and baby's. This is a long, hard, wearying journey (a bit like many labours), but the integrity of what we are putting our energies into will sustain us. Never has there been a better time to drive the message home. Keep on going all you wonderful women, families, and midwives. There is ALWAYS a solution. Here is the Democrats News Release Regards Roz Donnellan - Fernandez Self Employed Community Midwife
Re: Midwifery Insurance
So true! Money and Power are the root of all evil! I have been watching this quietly as I have been so busy. Quietly supporting you all. Rhonda - Original Message - From: Roslyn Donnellan - Fernandez To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, July 13, 2001 10:00 AM Subject: Midwifery Insurance Dear all This issue is not about place of birth. If it was, then on the evidence PI insurance should be lowest for those midwives attending women with uncomplicated pregnancy's births at home. This issue is not about safety, or evidence - based practice. If it was, the majority of both obstetricians and midwives would be salaried through the public sector and midwifery led care would be the gold standard and the norm for quality maternity provision in this country. This issue is not about responsible governance, or equity and access to "health for all Australian families." If it was, successive governments would have implemented a no fault liability scheme years ago. This issue, like so many others that involve the health well being of women children is about MONEY and POWER. At its basest level, it is about the continuing exploitation and colonisation of these bodies as financially lucrative market places. "Closing the gap" is a clear demonstration of further aggressive attempts to "sew up" many women's nonexistent "choice" in childbirth in this country. The metaphors and language are overwhelmingly explicit and self - explanatory. This issue is about basic human rights: it is about every woman's right in Australia to access and equity in choosing a midwife as her primary caregiver during pregnancy, birth, and after her baby is born. The insurance issue is providing a unique opportunity to send loud, clear messages into the community and the government with regard to: * introducing a national no fault liability scheme; * maternity funding reform that enables equity and access for all women to midwifery led care in the home, the hospital, and the community; * legislative review and amendment to facilitate appropriate regulation of the midwifery profession in this country; * a need for expansion of culturally appropriate birthing services and recognition of indigenous midwives; * the cessation of scandlous exploitation and inefficient allocation of taxpayers resources, that contribute to propping up systems perpetuating unnecessary and harmful interventions on mothers and baby's. This is a long, hard, wearying journey (a bit like many labours), but the integrity of what we are putting our energies into will sustain us. Never has there been a better time to drive the message home. Keep on going all you wonderful women, families, and midwives. There is ALWAYS a solution. Here is the Democrats News Release Regards Roz Donnellan - Fernandez Self Employed Community Midwife
FW: Homebirths in Peril and Midwifery Insurance
In Tassie, there is a requirement from the Nursing Board that all nurses and midwives may have to provide proof of professional indemnification. I understand that other state governments may be looking at including this in their own nursing acts, if they have not already done so. The Nursing Act (Tas.), 1995, Part 3, states that: The Board may determine that an applicant is not entitled to be registered or enrolled as a nurse if it is not satisfied that the applicant, when practising, will have adequate professional indemnification arrangements. There is not mention however, of how midwives are supposed to find an insurer! Julia M So Far, there has been a hunt high and low, far and wide and no luck yet on finding a company willing to insure midwives in private practice. Guild has not so yet told me that my insurance will not be renewed and mine is due on August 1st. I would dearly love to know what is behind this obviously panic reaction from Guild as not even their branches knew anything about the change until midwives started enquiring. What will happen to our clients? we haven't addressed that yet as we are still hopeful that someone will come forward with a policy. Not all branches of ANF handle PI insurance even for nurses. We can still practice as midwives, but contracts with government bodies and arrangements with hospitals will be affected as they are the ones requiring the insurance. Regards, Mary Murphy -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
RE: Homebirths in Peril and Midwifery Insurance
Tina, you are SPOT ON. I don't think you have lost the plot - you are very right. I agree that the action of Guild and other insurers in refusing to insure midwives is an insult to the whole midwifery profession, as well as slanderous to the reputations of the midwives concerned. ACMI should put aside less important issues and act to protect midwifery in Australia. Joy Johnston -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 10:26 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject:Re: Homebirths in Peril and Midwifery Insurance In a message dated 7/07/01 12:30:35 PM AUS Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: 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 Hi all ozmider's. This situation distresses me greatly. As I see it, the problem is the huge lack of recognition and respect for midwifery as an autonomous profession, which I believe has far reaching implications for ALL women and midwives - not just MIPP and the homebirth community. The homebirth movement here is still considered a radical, questioning and an independent movement outside of medical control and its always been a thorn in the obstetric side and subject to a great deal of attention, scrutiny and anticompetitive behaviour. Historically we know that many of the improvements in maternity care have been born from the homebirth movement. So for all other midwives to then hide their heads in the sand on this issue and to shrug it off as something that only affects homebirth midwives and their clients is a HUGE mistake. Homebirth needs to exist for the benefit of ALL, not just the few that choose it, because out of this movement we have another model by which to compare the obstetric model, and measures by which to demand greater accountability from medical men and their machines and evidence for continued improvements for mainstream maternity care. Once you recognise this it becomes apparent that the withdrawal of professional indemnity insurance from MIPP is just the tip of the iceberg and actually represents the largest assault on the autonomy of midwifery this country has seen and THIS THEN AFFECTS ALL MIDWIVES AND ALL WOMEN - NOT JUST THE HOMEBIRTH COMMUNITY. Midwives please open your eyes and look 'outside of the square you live in' and see the bigger picture !!! By insurers denying/refusing to insure midwives in private practice, is to effectively, slam the door shut on midwifery as an autonomous profession in this country, relegating midwifery to be forever controlled by the medical fraternity. This has ripple effects into EVERY other facet of midwifery practice. It will eventually effect EVERY MIDWIFE in her capacity to work as a midwife 'with woman' as it effectively undermines EVERY midwife's status and claim to autonomous practice as the health care professional that she is, irrespective of where she provides midwifery care. Further more, while the majority of midwives may work in hospitals and have their liability underwritten by state governments, many midwives also choose to have PI outside of this as well - independent of their employers interests! So to argue that this is an issue that just effects 80 midwives and the 1% of women who choose to birth at home in this country is just ridiculous and will surely then see the demise of midwifery in this country. This issue needs to be brought to the forefront and dealt with once and for all. The ACMI needs to gather ALL its constituents together with their greatest allies - women - and demand to be heard in the halls of parliament, news and media until the powers that be listen and cotton on to the great conspiracy that is denying Australian women and their families the right to choose for themselves how, where and with whom they birth their children. Furthermore, midwives need to put their money where their mouths are and get serious about their professional representation. This is not meant to be a criticism of the ACMI as it stands, but rather to say that, it can only do so much with the resources and limited personnel that it has. The College needs funds to invest in a good lawyer who can research these issues from the point of law and justice, and funds to undertake through risk analysis of providing midwifery care. How can the College continue to argue for what is right and just - without the evidence to support it. Insurance companies would find it difficult to refuse policy applications or charge outrageous premiums, if the evidence was there in black and white to sink their arguments that midwifery is a highly litigious area. The College should be demanding proof of that statement
