Hi all Maybe the QNC could find a way to assess the skills of traditional midwives so they can be recognised for what they know. I actually feel that the QNC are against any privately practising midwives - from personal experience. All the best for the festive season everyone. Love Leigh----- Original Message ----- From: "Trish David" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Toni Cannard" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2001 2:44 PM Subject: Re: Fwd: Support homebirth on Thursday
> Dear Toni and list. > > While Claire Brassard may be a very competent birth attendant (I have no way of > knowing either way), and there may be other 'traditional' birth attendants out > there, I cannot support such a protest until such time as we have recognition of > their knowledge and skills against the same criteria that formally prepared > midwives do. > > In all States and Territories and in most countries around the world the word > 'midwife' is a protected title. This means that only those people who meet their > country's criteria to be recognised as a midwife can be called a midwife and can > practise under law as a midwife. The QNC has no option but to take this action > because neither it nor any other regulatory authority in Australia has the power > to 'recognise' these women as midwives. > > I reiterate, this is irregardless of their level of knowledge, skill and > experience, and many of you would argue that some of these women would run rings > around us formally educated midwives. That is as may be. But how does anyone > know for sure? With no standard against which they can be measured for minimum > requirements to competence? > > I therefore suggest that it is self-defeating to ask for an individual to claim > the title 'midwife' and the right to practise as such when there is no statute, > and no caveat that will allow it. Rather it would be more to the point to try to > create the process that would recognise 'other' ways of entering the profession > besides formal studies. USA managed this process. It will be costly and > time-consuming and might fail. But it is imperative to protect the right of > women to have a standard of midwife, because if the standard can vary greatly > across formal programs when there are all sorts of processes in place to enforce > them, then the standard for those without formal training and education can vary > even more greatly..... But we will never know because they are never measured. > And anyone could lay claim to the title 'midwife'. And that is not a situation I > would like to see happen. > > Women might want choices, but they want and deserve some assurance that the > choices they make are from safe alternatives. They must trust the profession to > regulate itself in their interests because not every woman has the resources to > investigate each birth attendant herself. This is actually working quite well, > and the processes put in place to begin national standardisation in the last > couple of years will assure that it works even better in the future. It is hoped > women will have a greater say in how these processes work and what standards > will be met from now on. And that might include recognition of 'lay' or > 'traditional' birth attendants as midwives. > > Just my thoughts, and with greatest respect to individuals referred to, who may > indeed be the safest attendant possible. Trish David. > > Toni Cannard wrote: > > > Dear Ozmidwifery People, > > > > Claire Brassard, a traditional midwife, (read not a registered nurse or > > midwife) is being banned from giving care to pregnant women by the > > Queensland Nursing Council (QNC). > > > > The e-mail that follows tells you how you can participate in a Brisbane > > Protest tomorrow to give the press, media and pollies the following message: > > > > "Women want choices. Women who choose homebirth want the option of choosing > > a traditional midwife." > > > > Time to stand up and be counted - do we support women having free choice or > > do we only support women choosing from the the options we would like them to > > have? > > > > Working for true choice, > > > > Toni Cannard > > Vice President > > AIMS Australia Inc (Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services - > > A consumer action group) > > > > >From: "Bruce Teakle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >>Subject: Support homebirth on Thursday > > >Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2001 15:21:50 +1000 > > > > > > > > >Bruce Teakle > > >Lindsay Rd > > >Mt Glorious 4520 > > >Ph 07 3289 0231 > > > > > >Dear supporters of homebirth, > > > > > >You should know by now that Claire is going to court on thursday,13 th of > > >december for the Supreme court to force her to cease caring for pregnant > > >women. > > > > > >There is a telephone process underway to get as many supporters to the > > >Brisbane Court by 9.15 am on thursday morning as possible. Please think > > >about who you know who might come to support our right to a "SAFE, > > >RESPONSIBLE, CARING" choice in birthing, and put out the word. It's just > > >fine if people hear more than once. > > > > > >The Theme > > > > > >There are several purposes to our gathering. > > >>1. To farewell Claire from our service, and grieve for the loss of her > > >>care. > > >>2. To celebrate the spirit of midwifery and its long tradition. > > >>3. To bear witness to the action of the state in denying us Claire's care. > > >>4. To express our dissatisfaction with the poor service of our political > > >>servants in regard to respecting women's right of choice in birthing. > > >Hopefully this will include some coverage by the media, and we are working > > >at getting that to happen. > > > > > >The Image > > > > > >We will look (and be) powerful, in a way which is most likely to make our > > > >political servants take notice. > > > > > >I propose that we behave somewhat like we are seeing off the queen (Claire > > >is not the queen, actually sometimes she's just very naughty. > > >However.....). For some of us Claire is the person who has given us the > > >sort of loving care we are seeking in birth. For others, she may symbolise > > >the care we have had from another midwife or even what we think women > > >deserve. What we express in love and respect for Claire is symbolic of our > > >feelings about the >model of care we seek. > > > > > >So let us dress and perform as if we are farewelling the queen. Flowers, > > > >children, kisses, tears, families, our best clothes. > > > > > >Don't get me wrong, this isn't wet and weak, this is a demonstration of the > > >state interfering in the lives of ordinary loving families, for no reason, > > >and that does not look good. > > > > > >The Routine > > > > > >We turn up at 9.15. We can't afford to be late. Don't forget this is the > > >city at peak hour, and driving in, and finding parking is a slow, terrible > > >and expensive business. Consider taking the train from somewhere > > >convenient. The court is equal distances from Central and Roma street > > >stations, both are very close. > > > > > >We arrive, assemble outside the court building, and prepare for Claire's > > >arrival soon after 9.30. When Claire arrives she walks the aisle we prepare > > >for her, kissing and farewelling. This is when our photo opportunities are, > > >when we all need to be there and prepared. > > > > > >She goes into court with her barrister and those of us who can go in > > >(without children) to witness the proceeding. The court proceedings > > >(everyone already inside and assembled) should start at 10.00 and take 10 > > >minutes. > > > > > >Claire will then have finished her 22 years of renegade traditional > > >midwifery. > > > > > >What next? I don't know. I'll let my beard grow back, and we can get back > > >to normal (whatever that was) for a few weeks. > > > > > >We certainly have a big job to do in january, with the competition policy > > > >stuff and so on, and preparing to get back onto our representative's > > >agenda's after their holidays. This is a big task we have embarked on, and > > >we won't be letting go. > > > > > >See you there on thursday. > > > > > >Best wishes from Bruce. > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. > > > > -- > > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
