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----- Original Message -----
From: Sue Cooper <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Marie Heath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2001 1:13 PM
Subject: Fw: Independent Midwives
> After I gave my reply informing him that I was going to send his initial
> reply on...he sent me this..
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eggleston, Alan (Senator) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: 'Sue Cooper' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Date: Thursday, July 19, 2001 8:26 PM
> Subject: RE: Independent Midwives
>
>
> >The flaw in your arguement is that serious obstetric complications can
> occur
> >without warning and the insurance industry has clearly come to the
> >conclusion that the risk element is such that the industry is not in a
> >position to cover the risk.
> >
> >The trend over many years has been towards specialist management of
> >obstetrics in a hospital setting and as I am sure you would know these
days
> >not many GPs are involved in managing labour and of those who are almost
> all
> >have post graduate training and qualifications in obstetrics which is
> >required because of the higher standard of knowledge and expertise
regarded
> >as necessary in this day and age. I am sure you would not dispute that
> >obestricshas undergone
> >enormous changes since the 1960s and the expectations of the community
have
> >risen with respect to outcomes in medicine in general , not just
> Obstetrics.
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Sue Cooper [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> >Sent: Thursday, 19 July 2001 1:25 PM
> >To: Eggleston, Alan (Senator)
> >Subject: Re: Independent Midwives
> >
> >
> >This reply just goes to show your obvious lack of knowledge on the
subject.
> >Would you go to an Ear Nose and Throat surgeon if you had a cold? or a
GP?
> >That is what midwives are. Obstericians are only supposed to be used for
> >problems.
> >
> >I would also like to point out that independent midwives do births in
> >hospitals and birth centres aswell, you are obviously of the incorrect
> >assumption that they only do them on the side of the road.
> >
> >Thank you for your reply, it will go nicely tagged onto the bottom of my
> >next group of letters to the media.
> >
> >Sue Cooper
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Eggleston, Alan (Senator) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >To: 'Sue Cooper' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Date: Thursday, July 19, 2001 2:44 PM
> >Subject: RE: Independent Midwives
> >
> >
> >>YOU SHOULD THANK THE LORD YOU DID NOT HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS A
> >>SHOULDER DYSTOCIA OR A HAEMORAGE ... WOMEN HAVE REWPONSIBILITY TO THE
> >UNBORN
> >>CHILD TO ENSURE THAT THE SERVICES OF MODERN MEDICAL SKILLS AND
TECHNOLOGY
> >>ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED.
> >>
> >>THE INSURANCE PREMIUMS PAID BT DOCTORS ENGAGED IN OBSTETRICS ARE SO HIGH
> >>BECAUSE THE ELEMENT OF RISK IS SUCH THAT IF THERE IS ANY SUGGESTION OF
> >>SUBSTANDARD SERVICE COURTS WILL AWARD PUNITIVE DAMAGES.
> >>
> >>IF MIDWIVES WANT TO PRACTISE IN THE MODERN WORLD THEY SHOULD DO MEDICINE
> ,
> >>BECOME DOCTORS AND TRAIN AS OBSTETRECIANS.
> >>
> >>THIS IS 2001 NOT 1701.
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: Sue Cooper [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> >>Sent: Wednesday, 18 July 2001 5:03 PM
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> >>Subject: Independent Midwives
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>To Federal Politician,
> >>
> >>I have utilised the professional services of two different independent
> >>midwives during my last three pregnancies and subsequent births.
> >>I felt completely comfortable and secure in the level of skill and
> >expertise
> >>displayed by both midwives.
> >>
> >>I am deeply saddened and outraged at the recent decision of the Guild
> >>Insurance agency to cease their professional indemnity cover on
> independent
> >>midwives.
> >>
> >>This ill-considered decision is going to have an immediate effect on the
> >>quality of care given to women during pregnancy and before and after the
> >>birth. It will force women to pay for the services of an obstetrician,
> >whose
> >>specialised skills will not likely even be required.
> >>
> >>Independent midwives offer an invaluable service to families to give
birth
> >>in hospitals, birth centres and at home with a continuity of care,
> >something
> >>not presently available in the public system. They care before, during
and
> >>after the womanize pregnancy and are a tower of strength whenever they
are
> >>needed. They often go above and beyond the 'job' to ensure that their
> >>clients receive the best possible care. They do this job for the love of
> it
> >>and this shows in the continuity of care that women and their families
> >>receive during a monumental time in their lives.
> >>
> >>Many countries understand the importance of midwives within the
community.
> >>Here is a small sample of some of them.
> >>
> >>*In Britain the government set up a group called the Cumberledge
> >>Committee who reported in 1993, whilst looking at obstetrics:
> >>
> >>"...found no evidence to support the medical paradigm for maternity
> >>care for most women and recommended that all the care
> >>for pregnant women should be provided by midwives"
> >>
> >>*In British Columbia, Netherlands and New Zealand midwives are the
> >>primary care givers to healthy pregnant women and their babies from
early
> >>pregnancy, labour, birth and an average of six weeks postpartum.
> >>
> >>*Midwives attend approximately 70 percent of births in Western Europe.
> >>
> >>The World Health Organisation (WHO) believes that midwives in private
> >>practise are a valuable part of pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood and
> >>should be available to any family wishing to use one. The WHO also
> >>believe that the Dutch system of care is the ideal system of its kind
for
> >>pregnant woman and their families. This is because independent midwives
> >>care for the pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum period and the
> >>obstetrician is only used as was intended, as a specialist for high risk
> >>pregnancies.
> >>
> >>In relation to independent midwives and the homebirth option the
National
> >>Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) state that they:
> >>
> >>"... recommend[s] that hospitals develop mechanisms for accreditation of
> >>visiting midwives and delineation of clinical privileges for registered
> >>independent midwives as is currently done for medical practitioners.
> >>This would enable midwives to continue attending a client (in accordance
> >>with hospital protocols) in the event of a transfer to hospital and
would
> >>promote co-ordination and professional liaison between hospitals and
> >>independent midwives"
> >>
> >>Would this not mean that the NHMRC would like to ensure that women and
> >their
> >>families still have this choice available to them if wanted?
> >>
> >>There are plenty of families who choose to have an independent midwife
for
> >a
> >>hospital or birthing centre birth. Paying for the continuity of care
from
> >>a midwife for the whole of the pregnancy, birth and post natal period is
> >>something many families see as invaluable. Not having to worry about
shift
> >>changes and/or substitue carers is great peace of mind in the middle of
> >>labour. Why should women and their families not have this option if they
> >>want it?
> >>
> >>This problem needs to be addressed immediately! Independent midwives
will
> >be
> >>left with two options. To cease their practices and halt the freedom of
> >>choice for pregnant women, or to continue to practice without insurance,
> >>which of course is a huge risk, not only to the midwives, but to the
> family
> >>who may have suffered.
> >>
> >>Intervention is needed from state and federal government to continue
this
> >>invaluable service. That independent midwives are going to be left with
no
> >>cover is disgraceful. Is it not possible for the government to step in
and
> >>arrange cover for the midwives? Why are they not included with other
> health
> >>care professionals on medicare? Are midwives not the the "GP's" of
> >>childbirth? These questions are valid ones and ones that are repeatedely
> >>asked by those involved with independent midwives as either colleagues
> >>or clients.
> >>
> >>I am not having any more children, but I would be most upset to learn
that
> >>the independent midwives had to cease their practices, and therefore
their
> >>livelihoods, because of a rash decision by Guild Insurance that does not
> >>seem to based on logic or proven risk. It would be a tragedy if other
> >>families could not experience the same joy that my family and many
others
> >>have already experienced due to the care and attention of an independent
> >>midwife.
> >>
> >>Suzanne Cooper
> >>Ph: (02) 4845 1040
> >>PO Box 65
> >>Gunning NSW 2581
> >>
> >>FACT SHEET
> >>
> >>Birth is not an illness. Internationally accepted best practice
> >>standards for optimal maternity services promote care by a known
> >>midwife during pregnancy, birth, and early parenting. This is
fundamental
> >>to the definition of a midwife: one who provides primary care for women
> >>throughout the pregnancy and birth, and who collaborates with other
> >>practitioners (such as obstetric specialists) when a woman requires
> >>specialist or secondary levels of care.
> >>
> >>* The focus of the midwife's care is the woman, as an individual. The
> >>wellbeing and safety of the woman and her baby are paramount, and data
> >>from Australian and international reporting support midwifery care as
> >>protecting the safety of the woman and child.
> >>
> >>* Australian women have very limited access to the optimal standard of
> >>care. This is due to many social and professional factors, including t
> >>he progressive medicalisation of pregnancy and birth over many years,
> >>together with the government funding monopoly that supports medical
> >>primary care and excludes most midwifery options of care.
> >>
> >>* A recent Australian Society of Independent Midwives (ASIM) survey of
> >>members revealed most of the membership was insured with Guild; two
> >>have been without insurance since their policies expired recently, and
the
> >>rest will gradually become uninsured as their policies expire. A small
> >>proportion of ASIM midwives are insured with ANF (Australian Nursing
> >>Federation) Victoria and so far they are unaffected. There were five
> >>members who carried no professional insurance whatsoever.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
>
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