Dear All,
Did anyone else note the Health Monitor mention of the chair of
Community Affairs Reference Committee- 'Rosemary Crowley has anounced a
new Senate Inquiry will be established to examine differences in
childbirth practices across the nation.' I wonder if any list members
were aware of this being set up. I wonder what specific tools will be
used to make this 'examination'. I wonder if it will be just statistical
or will have any comsumer input be requested/included. Who will make up
this Senate inquiry committee??? Does anyone know what the impetus for
this Senate inquiry was?
Is this a possible opportunity for midwives to outline the scope of our
practice and indicate the lack of lead midwifery carer /mid/mum
partnership models in Aus. As well NZCOM now has some data on midwife
lead maternity care outcomes that may be usefull. We need to keep in
mind how the NZ changes were instigated through fairly timely/opportune
political means. Does Rosmary Crowley deserve an absolute bombardment of
women/midwives/fathers voices/letters/stories and truths??
I also note that successfull negotiations are occurring between certain
health funds and medicos to drop the 'gap' charge for specialist
services. Another incentive to encourage private heatlh insurance and
accessability to 'specialist medical' management including O&G care. And
we all know the markedly higher intervention stats with this model of
maternity care. Perhaps this Senate inquiry could be targeted to
indicate the social and economic value of medicare rebates for midwife
lead care. Could ACMI offer some input on our (midwives) behalf and
demand some consumer input??? I'm fairly sure there is plenty of bias
(political input) from the college's (RACOG & RACGP) representing our
medical personell. Heck this is our tax $'s being spent! I do strongly
believe we need some answers to the above questions and be given some
consideration for contextualizing this 'examination'. Could the up
coming Hobart Conference be a focus for establishing aims and strategies
to use this opportunity to lead us to maternity models similar to the NZ
choices? Could this begin the push (as deep, primal and powerfull as a
woman's second stage voice) ...............
Allthough I know coming from a different perspective would Pat , Sally
et al's research be valuable data to be included in such an extensive
review.
I sense that this may be a fine opportunity to request/expect that our
political power brokers spend our money in a fair and productive way.
Do any of you feel some resonance with my coments??? Is this possibly a
great opportunity to utilize a political process for the improvement of
midwifery accessability for women?? Could an outcome be that women are
not financially disadvantaged in choosing midwifery lead care??? Could
this be an opportunity for ACMI to move and speak the truth on our
behalf?? Could this begin a stabilizing process that may see the end of
the tidle wave of medicalization of birth??
Any views and or booo's would be read with interest.
Carolyn,
such a joy to hear your heart/mind talk. So look foward to your short
serjourn up here in Northern NSW.
Cheers all, Heather.
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