Please give all the midwives my best wishes - especially Val
I hope the Wyong midwives will now form a sub-branch of the Maternity Coalition with the local women - through them you will continue to move from strength to strength.
Make sure you include one of the more articulate women on your 'policies and procedures' committee and make sure she is at every meeting the Wyong midwives have.
The local medicos will continue to try and erode your program, but they will always take notice of the women standing beside you
Go to www.maternitycoalition.org.au to find out how to form a group
Cheers
Jan
Jan Robinson Independent Midwife Practitioner
National Coordinator Australian Society of Independent Midwives
8 Robin Crescent South Hurstville NSW 2221 Phone/Fax: 02 9546 4350
e-mail address: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> website: www.midwiferyeducation.com.au
Im a midwife at Wyong just north of Gosford. We have a long established, wonderful midwifery led low risk unit with big baths in all three rooms. New unit opened in Feb this year, team model of care, and hopefully soon "case"load care also, BUT....., the unit has been closed for births and has been since May. The official spiel stated the "SHORT"!!! term closure is because of staffing issues which are not very well specified on the few occasions it has been in the media. The ED doctors who provide back up care in case of neonatal probs are the ones with staffing and industrial issues and the families of the Wyong shire are paying the price. Often that price, especially for the primips, is the obligatory CS or ventouse.
There is a lovely new postnatal unit at Wyong, with 14 single rooms for those who wish to stay.
I believe we are avoiding the Midwifery Led terminology and are using something along the lines of Primary Maternity Care unit. We have always had obstetric cover and i believe this is to continue in those cases where transfer to Gosford is not advised
Cheers Di.
