On the 22nd of August midwives and consumers from the NSW Midwives Association, Australian Society of Independent Midwives, Home Birth Australia and the NSW Nurses Association met with Michael Reid the Director General of NSW Health, Andrew Wilson the Chief Health Officer of NSW Health and Judith Meppem the Chief Nurse of NSW Health to discuss the crisis that followed the loss of professional indemnity insurance for independently practising midwives. At this meeting we discussed our concerns for the safety of women who may persist with homebirths unassisted. We also discussed our concerns that women and midwives would not have the protection of insurance and that women were being denied the right to choose to give birth at home. We also raised our concerns regarding Health System consequences, with loss of accreditation for IPMs in hospitals and the resulting inability to fulfil government recommendations from recent health reports. We asked for NSW Health to consider providing interim cover for IPMs in this State and to look at arrangements that could incorporate IPMs into the public health system and make this service more readily available to women. We also asked the NSW Health Department to act on the recommendations contained in the NSW Framework for Maternity Services Report, 2000. The Director General made it very clear that there would not be any inclusion of IPMs in the Treasury managed funds. Other promising options were discussed including setting up some innovative models of care that could incorporate independent midwives and home birth into the public health system. Mean while Guild Insurance has agreed to extend insurance for IPMs currently insured with it until May 2002. Unfortunately the hefty increase in premiums during this period means that many IPMs will be unable to afford to take up the offer. Stay tuned for imminent developments which we will be able to share in greater detail with you all soon. Hannah Dahlen Pat Brodie Secretary, NSW Midwives Association President, NSW Midwives Association -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
