Re: [ozmidwifery] re . insurance for midwives

[meg]

Well said Cath,
As a mother with a young family, and being the main 
income support for my family, there is no way that I could afford to lose 
everything (possessing little in the way of assests, I would) and I also could 
not afford to hb full time. However if with insurance more midwives were happy 
to do at least a few births or provide antenatal and postnatal care, perhaps the 
profile of midwives as professionals would increase in the publics perception of 
good birthing care. 

I believe that it is also foolish to believe that a 
client would be unlikely to sue, even the most enthusiastic homebirther may find 
her mind change when faced with the long term cost of raising a child with 
special needs. I have been involved in a case with a highly educated and 
motivated couple who had a baby with cerebal palsy (no birth complications 
except for a flat baby), this case has been ongoing for several years now, and I 
don't see how anyone would survive the financial cost of either a just or unjust 
case. And yes - no fault system such as the ones in NZ or the trust system in 
the UK are both preferrable alternatives. 

I agree that I would prefer that the college should 
take on insurance for it's members, and would happily support it's investigation 
of this or any other offer. With the greater numbers of members a 
reasonable deal may be able to be negotiated. 

Meg

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  cath nolan 
  To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au 
  
  Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 7:54 
  PM
  Subject: [ozmidwifery] re . insurance for 
  midwives
  
  As always, well said Justine. I feel that 
  insurance being offered is a very positive move for midwifery in Australia. I 
  know of several midwives who would be more willing to work outside of the 
  hospital if they had insurance, and personally speaking I would welcome cover 
  with open arms. As Andrea says, we don't all have the ability to have no 
  assets, and why should we? I work in an area where homebirth is virtually 
  unheard of. If I didn't work in the hospital I would not have an income.I 
  would love that to change but kids, house etc require certain income, and in 
  reality I can't see a full time midwifery practise in demand in this area in 
  the near future.I am damn sure I am not alone. Lets look at this offer of some 
  professional protection and embrace the positive side effects that it will 
  bring if itcomes to fruition. By all means we need to examine the policy 
  but not shoot it down before it is offered.
  
  Cath

Re: [ozmidwifery] re . insurance for midwives

[meg]

Tania, where did you access the midwives PI 
list?
meg

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Tania 
  Smallwood 
  To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au 
  
  Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 8:24 
  PM
  Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] re . insurance 
  for midwives
  
  
  Can I just say that I 
  don’t think anyone is shooting anything down, I’m really glad that there is 
  finally some open discussion going on around this issue! There are many 
  of us over in SA who are feeling a bit in the dark about where things are up 
  to, and what having our name on this list means. I’m open to having a 
  look at what is on offer, I think it’s great that after all this time, someone 
  is willing to take us on and offer us something that is possibly 
  affordable. I can see however why midwives might be hesitant to 
  allow an insurance company to take over the running of their finances, tax 
  payments etc, especially given the reality of working as an IPM, ie not every 
  midwife bills and expects payment in the same way, and not every woman can 
  afford to pay up front etc. I can just understand how confronting it 
  might be to have to change the entire way one works regarding payment etc and 
  I’m wondering how a one size fits all plan might work for 200 or so people 
  that all run their businesses very differently. Please can we keep 
  the open dialogue going on this issue, and is there some way that we can have 
  access to any minutes etc from the meetings that have been taking place? 
  I am on the Midwives PI list, but can’t receive attachments via that list, so 
  is there some way that each of the IPM groups in each state can be sent the 
  information about where things are up to for now?
  
  Cheers
  
  Tania
  
  
  
  
  
  From: 
  owner-ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au 
  [mailto:owner-ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au] 
  On Behalf Of cath 
  nolanSent: Tuesday, 5 
  September 2006 7:25 PMTo: 
  ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.auSubject: [ozmidwifery] re . insurance for 
  midwives
  
  
  As always, well said Justine. I 
  feel that insurance being offered is a very positive move for midwifery in 
  Australia. I know of several 
  midwives who would be more willing to work outside of the hospital if they had 
  insurance, and personally speaking I would welcome cover with open arms. As 
  Andrea says, we don't all have the ability to have no assets, and why should 
  we? I work in an area where homebirth is virtually unheard of. If I didn't 
  work in the hospital I would not have an income.I would love that to change 
  but kids, house etc require certain income, and in reality I can't see a full 
  time midwifery practise in demand in this area in the near future.I am damn 
  sure I am not alone. Lets look at this offer of some professional protection 
  and embrace the positive side effects that it will bring if itcomes to 
  fruition. By all means we need to examine the policy but not shoot it down 
  before it is offered.
  
  
  
  Cath
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