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The proposed amendment to the nurses and midwives legislation is contained in the Federal Minister of Health's press release below.

As Jo Hunter, convenor of Homebirth Australia explains:

"The point that will redefine the fundamental nature of midwifery and certainly homebirth midwifery in Australia is that “collaborative arrangements with medical practitioners will be required to access the new arrangements”. In short this amendment will require midwives to work with GP obstetricians and private obstetricians and have a “collaborative arrangement” in place at all times.

This is NOT acceptable. How will it be possible for a midwife who attends homebirths and for women wishing to birth at home to gain the support of a GP ob or private obstetrician when their own college statement does not support homebirth?

RANZCOG statement reads -

“The College does not support Home Birth or ‘Free-standing’ Birth Centres

(without adjacent obstetric and neonatal facilities) as appropriate Health Care

Settings. The College acknowledges that a very small minority of women will

choose to birth in these centres, even if appropriately informed of the

consequences”

In solidarity with our northern and southern sisters (who will be rallying outside Kevin Rudd’s Brisbane office and Julia Gaillard’s Vic office) please come and rally outside the Minister for the status of women, Tanya Plibersek’s office in Sydney".

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THE HON NICOLA ROXON MP
MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGEING

MEDIA STATEMENT – 5 NOVEMBER 2009

Midwives/ Nurse Practitioner Amendment

The Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon has today circulated an amendment the Government intends to introduce into the Health Legislation (Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill and the Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Bill.

This amendment makes clear in the legislation something that was articulated both on introduction of the Bill to parliament and in the explanatory material tabled at that time.

Following requests for clarification, this amendment will simply clarify in legislation that collaborative arrangements with medical practitioners will be required to access the new arrangements.

The details of these requirements will be specified in subordinate legislation following the ongoing consultation with the professional groups.

These bills are a key plank of the Government’s 2009/10 Budget commitments which recognises for the first time the role of appropriately qualified and experienced midwives and nurse practitioners in our health system.

The Minister for Health and Ageing said today “I thank the doctors, nurses and midwives for their constructive engagement to date to ensure these new opportunities for nurses and midwives are implemented in an integrated fashion for the benefit of patients.”

For more information contact the Minister’s office on 02 6277 7220