----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2003 4:23
PM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] Fw: Letter to the
editor re "Midwives, no insurance..." article
Here's the letter I had published in the letters to the Ed
in today's Advertiser in Adelaide, and off the back of it had a conversation
with a journo from the local Hills newspaper who wants to print a story and
photo in the next few weeks about the midwifery insurance crisis (when does it
stop being a crisis??)...
I refer to the article "Midwives, no insurance - and
everyone's happy" in The Advertiser, Tuesday, July 15, 2003. I can
assure Barry Hailstone and all readers that many of us who fall in to the
category of Midwife, and/or consumer of midwifery continuity of care, are
indeed NOT happy. I am a midwife, and mother of two children, both born
with the assistance of an independent midwife.
I am not happy at potentially risking everything I have
worked for, every time I agree to attend a woman who choses to birth at
home. I am not happy that these women, myself included, are actively
discriminated against by not being eligible for any monetary reimbursement
despite saving the public health system approximately $3000 each time they
chose to have a midwife as their primary care provider for pregnancy and
birth.
I am not happy that a government which has bailed out
medical practitioners to the tune of $30 million this year alone to cover the
increase in professional indemnity insurance, cannot see fit to value
and validate women's choices by assisting midwives in the same way.
I had two wonderful births, and have the absolute privilege
of attending other women's births every other week, but it will only be when
midwives achieve equality and respect, and when women's choices are placed as
number one on the political agenda that I'll begin to be truly
happy.
Tania Smallwood
