Your concern came to me in a round-about way but I could not help myself and reply to you via ozmidwifery as most of the recipients of your message use that list.
You should not be concerned as there is ample evidence available in this country. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) recommended in it’s report on Childbirth Services in Australia (”Rocking the Cradle”) that attempt should be made to “normalise birth” and that “more use be made of midwife-led services”.
The data collected during the rescent inquiry into Childbirth Services was carried out by the most respected Medical Research group in Australia.
Most of the emotive rubbish coming from RANZCOG about homebirths being unsafe and midwives being supervised by obstetricians is not based on any research at all.
If you want to use really good medical research to back the push for midwife-led care, go to Marjory Tew’s book “Safer Childbirth ?” Tew (in the UK) found that both high risk and low risk women did better when continuous care was provided by midwives.
The statistics collected also showed that women were safer out of hospital than in them.
All the data for this research was collected by medical students under the supervision of medical statisticians.
So you see there is lots of good medical research to back up case for the midwives as primary carers for healthy women. Midwives are the ideal practitioners suited to work in well women’s health programs.
Re your concern about insurance.
Fairer insurance legislation related to PI claims can only benefit us all in the long run and should not be feared.
It will be good to see amounts for loss capped and the amounts of monies paid to those suffering damage or loss without making a civil case out of it.
I think you are concerned about PUBLIC indemnity and I’m not sure how you think that type of insurance can damage your cause, but you should consult with a lawyer if you have concerns about any public demonstrations that you may be planning.
Jan Robinson
On 5/9/02 5:47 PM, "Marie Heath" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Not sure of sender - of the information - are you any the wiser ??
Marie
-----Original Message-----
From: Darren Sunn [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, 4 September 2002 6:15 PM
To: Alan Theodora; Angela Perin; Bruce Teakle; Cathy Renkin; Helen Bremner; Jan Ireland; Jane Cambell-kaye; Jennifer Want; Jenny Parratt; Julia Bartlett; Julia Byford; Karra-Lee Seawright; Kusum Wells; Leesa Schuh; Lesley Smyth; Margret Spain; Sarah Buckley; Toni Cannard; Nola Aicken; Marie Heath; Peter Malvisi; Thea Woznitza; Jane Suttle
Subject: Public Indeminity
Hi everyone,
Recent news of legislation regarding Public Indemnity Insurance may be damaging to our course.
Within this new drafting is phrasing that states that only Health delivery services be carried out that are backed by Medical Research.
Now the issue is Who/how will it be decided and as to what Medical Research will be acknowledged or consulted when deciding the viability of certain Health Delivery Services such as Child Birth.
I may be pre-empting something but with the Launch of the NMAP just around the corner, we certainly need to push " it's " barrow.
If World medical research is resourced then we have a definite case advantage in gaining PI for Midwives, however if the medical research is limited and selective then they (QLD Health) will make it near impossible for homebirths to occur.
Need to find more info on this matter!
Darren Sunn
