Senate Inquiry into registration board for health professionals

[Sammi]

Credits to Hayley from Alternative Baby for the following:

As you may know, Australia is moving from state-run registration boards for health professionals (doctors, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, etc) to a single national registration board and requiring professional indemnity insurance to register. This is due to come into effect as of July 2010.

While there are some positive aspects to a single national registration board there is a glaring problem with this legislation.

Midwives in private practice are the only professional group that cannot obtain professional indmenity insurance, therefore they will not be able to register, therefore it will be illegal to practice.

There is a Senate Inquiry underway into national registration and submissions are being accepted until 30th April.

Don't be intimidated by the idea of a "submission" . You can simply send an email advising WHAT it is that you think needs looking at as far as national registration goes. Of course for many of us, the concern is the deregistration of midwives in private practice.

If this is something that you are concerned about, let them know what it means to YOU and how this legislation, if it goes through, will affect YOU.

The committee prefers emailed submissions sent to:
community.affairs. sen@aph.gov. au

Submissions close 30th April so get a few words down and send it off!!

[Sammi]

Here's my email

Dear Inquiry,

I am a 26 year old female who gave birth to my first child in October 2007.

I wish to comment on the inquiry being run regarding the proposal of a national registration board for health professionals, in light of the traumatic experience I had giving birth to my son.

I believe that the proposed registration board will ensure that consumers of health services are assured a higher level of quality, safety and accountabilty in the services they access. A single national board will streamline the current systems in place and make accessing an appropriate health care provider more efficient.

However, I do believe that this proposal, in the current climate, will disadvantage some birthing women, as currently independant midwives are unable to obtain professional indemnity insurance- a prerequisite of registration with the board.

Appropriate social and knowledgable support- such in the case of a hired independant midwife, whether in homebirth or a hospital or other setting- can arguably help prevent trauma in birthing, and also help resolve it more effectively if some trauma is sustained. Independant midwives afford their clients continuity of care, individualised service, a woman-centred approach and informed choice, all of which have been identified by the Maternity Services review as critical to a safe and satisfactory birth experience.

I recommend and strongly urge the inquiry to ensure that professional indemnity insurance is made available to independant midwives in order to meet the needs of all birthing women.



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Sammi Cambray
http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/