FW: Midwifery Insurance

[Jane Palmer]

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 assistance open 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