Fw: Consumers and ACMI

[NSW Midwives Association Inc]

Re the Consumer issue. A few thoughts: -   ACMI and the branches in each state, as a professional organisation, could improve in many ways in looking after midwives.  I would like to get that right before we start looking after other groups as well ie consumers.   Affiliations with a number of organisations, including consumers of birthing services would enhance our functioning as a professional organisation and I am all for it.  But lets consider that carefully in relation to our brief, an organisation that supports/nutures MIDWIVES   If we have consumer representation on our committees is that for the midwives or is for the consumers, it makes a difference.  I don't hear the consumer groups out there saying "lets get out there and protect our midwives ," all that often, but then I could have been under a cabbage leaf somewhere at the time.  The consumer groups are so divers, do we look for a consumer in relation to our philosophies on birthing/midwifery practice or do we take what comes.  What if we get a consumer rep from women that choose birth with all the technology available, that want LUSCS on demand, that do not want to breast fed at all and want midwives to take up their cause?   Politically I think consumers as most powerful when acting on there own behalf not as an add on to an organisation that represents health care practitioners and vise versa.  It would be a dichotomy of purposes, health care practitioners/consumers in the one organisation, I can't see it myself.   Common ground, common purposes could be explored with consumers and then we could have projects or something along those lines.  Especially ones that support and nuture midwives.     Re NZ: - Can't we just generate our own understandings from our own situations rather than always looking to other midwives in other countries with different Health Care Systems/ Politicial Systems and cultures etc etc to show us what to do??   Re Partnerships:- Great idea do you think we should practice amongest ourselves for a few years and then when we get it right approach our birthing sisters       Irene Coonan Corporate Services Manager NSW Midwives Association Inc