Dear Andrea Thank you I had heard such a crying poor about obs story on the radio but not the exact time table. I have not heard from the ACMI though I trust they are trying to mount a case for midwives, The media is very biased as well as pro scare stories!!
"Midwives save women, their families and communities pain as well as millions on "machines which go ping" is sadly not a sensational enough headline or news grab, truth does not rate!! Meanwhile that first Monty Python "Meaning of life" SKIT is too real, too often that we are becoming desensitized as we live and learn only the fear and saving(?) of medicalised birth. Denise ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrea Robertson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 4:11 PM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Obstetric services > Hello Denise, > > Changes are occurring for many doctors regarding their PI insurance. From > July 1 doctors will not be covered in the same way for law cases that may > be brought relating to incidents that occurred in the past. If they retire > after July 1 they may not be able to get automatic cover for cases that > arise perhaps years later, and insurance companies are asking doctors to > continue to pay up to $40,000 per year insurance premiums to cover these > potential cases. To avoid paying for insurance when they are no longer > practising, many doctors are opting for early retirement, i.e. by June 30. > It may be that some are just retiring from their obstetric practice, and > others may be retiring from medicine completely. Many of them are quite > young - I saw an interview on the ABC's 7.30 Report recently that included > comments from two young women obstetricians who stated they were giving up > that part of their practice. > > It seems to be a major problem in country areas where many of the GPs are > older anyway and it is hard to get younger doctors to work. One midwife > told me last week that in Wodonga they are losing 10 GPs who do obstetrics > on June 30 - this will have a huge impact on services in that area. > > I am in Adelaide today and will be in Alice Springs on the weekend. Back to > the UK in 10 days.... > > Regards, > > Andrea > > > At 01:25 AM 15/05/2003, Denise Hynd wrote: > >Dear Andrea > >I sem to have missed something what happens on July1 ?? > >Where are you presently?? > >Denise > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Andrea Robertson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 2:14 PM > >Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Obstetric services > > > > > > > Hi Veronica, > > > > > > I think the impending loss of some obstetricians is the best opportunity > > > for midwifery in a long time. I am convinced that they are pricing > > > themselves out of business and that they are becoming too expensive for > >the > > > community (through our taxes) and the hospitals (through their insurance) > > > to support. > > > > > > Babies will still be born, and yes, women will find they have to go to the > > > public system for care. There, they will find midwives, willing and able > >to > > > create better births and wonderful care. > > > > > > Let's hope that the Government decides not to bail these obstetricians out > > > again as they have done before. Some will continue to work in the public > > > system and these may well be those who know that they practice more safely > > > (read: less inclined to the dramatic and interventions). We will need > > > obstetricians but we want them to work in salaried positions in public > > > hospitals where they are called on when really needed. The cries of > >"babies > > > will die" are just the final bleatings of doomed doctors trying to scare > > > the public ...... > > > > > > I hope that midwives everywhere will sieze the day when July 1 comes > >around > > > - this has to be the best chance you've had for a while to establish > > > yourselves as primary caregivers. This debacle will expose women to the > > > public system and they will find that it works very well indeed! > > > > > > It will also be interesting to see the birth outcome statistics after July > > > 1 - how about you all start keeing an eye on this? Perhaps tally up the > > > outcomes for June and then compare them to July births? > > > > > > Don't get angry Veronica - see the positives in this instead! > > > > > > Andrea > > > > > > > > > At 11:29 PM 13/05/2003, Veronica wrote: > > > >To all, > > > >I just have to voice my anger and disgust. I have just returned from a > > > >public meeting at my local private hospital concerning their obstetric > > > >services and the public indemity insurance for Obstetricians. 3 of our 4 > > > >ob's are going to quit their private practices meaning that the private > > > >hospital is in quite alot of trouble. As I work at the public hospital I > > > >went in the hope of gaining more of an understanding of what was going on > > > >and to give my support, but went away very angry. Because the maternity > > > >services will shut most of the women will come to the public hospital. > >The > > > >meeting was informative, but what made me angry was the fact that there > > > >seemed to be this underlieing tread that our public hospital was second > > > >rate, that we wouldn't be able to cope and that we were dangerous. For > > > >example, there was a comment that "women and babies will die" as a result > > > >of what is going to happen. I am very proud to work in the public system > > > >and in particular the hospital I work at, and the care I and my fellow > > > >staff members, both midwives and medical and allied staff give is to the > > > >highest standard. It is true that our workload will be increased but this > > > >will not affect the high quality care that we give to all our women, > > > >babies and families and will definately not lead to women and babies > >dieing!!!! > > > >Now I have that off my chest I am off to bed..... > > > >Veronica > > > > > > > > > ----- > > > Andrea Robertson > > > Birth International * ACE Graphics * Associates in Childbirth Education > > > > > > e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > web: www.birthinternational.com > > > > > > > > > -- > > > 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. > > > ----- > Andrea Robertson > Birth International * ACE Graphics * Associates in Childbirth Education > > e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > web: www.birthinternational.com > > > -- > 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. 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