Multidisciplinary Health Symposium "Care of the Diabetic Patient"

Dear Midwife/Nursing colleague, UWA is delighted to be hosting a new, exciting Multidisciplinary Health Symposium on Saturday the 22nd October at the UWA Club. This inaugural event has support from Kim Snowball, Director General of the Health Department who is opening the symposium. The topic ‘Care of the Diabetic Patient’ will include presentations from experts across the spectrum of health professions. This event represents a great opportunity to understand total patient management from all perspectives and strengthen collaboration and develop referral pathways between health care providers. For details about the program and registration or go to: www.biomedchem.uwa.edu.au/cpd/program This program is eligible AHPRA CPD credits. Yours sincerely, Lesley Gregory Assistant Professor UWA CPD Health Program Coordinator The University of Western Australia M315,35 Stirling Highway, Crawley WA 6009 UWA CPD Health Quality Education: Quality Outcomes

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ACM Homebirth (interim) Position Statement;

Dear Members,

Please take the time to read and comment on the ACM's interim Homebirth position statement and guidance for privately practicing midwives;

Interim Position Statement on Homebirth

Interim Guidance for privately practising midwives providing midwifery care for a planned homebirth

ACM has requested comment on both the interim position statement and the interim guidance for privately practising midwives by close of business 23rd September 2011.

Send submissions by email to info@midwives.org.au or by post to PO Box 87, Deakin West ACT 2600. Only submissions with identified senders and a return address will be considered.

Homebirth Indemnity insurance exemption extened.

Great news:
Professional Indemnity Insurance Exemption for Independent Privately Practising Midwives
A communique issued by the Australian Health Minister's Council today announced that they have agreed to a further 12 month extension of the exemption to 1 July 2013 while further options are explored with a report back to the next Health Ministers meeting.
For more details click here for the Department of Health and Ageing

General Meeting for all members of the WA ACM

Members of the Australian College of Midwives WA Branch are invited to attend a

General Meeting

Thursday 21st July 2011
Agnes Walsh House Lounge
1600 – 1700

RSVP: acmwabranch@gmail.com (for catering purposes please)

to vote for the Australian College of Midwives WA Branch Constitution

Come along and network and discuss the new constitution

The Executive Committee WA Branch

IMD Conference 2011: Home and Away

Come and join the WA ACM in celebrating International Midwives Day:

Friday 6th May 2011: 0830:1630 CITY WEST FUNCTION CENTRE: 45 PLAISTOWE MEWS: CITY WEST, WEST PERTH


Share in the experiences and challenges for midwives who care for pregnant and childbearing women in both local and developing world contexts. Gain insight into the setting up of a Midwifery Group Practice from the first Eligible Western Australian Midwife.

Finish the day networking with friends and colleagues at the sundowner enjoying drinks and nibbles.

Midwifery care of adolescent pregnant women: Australia vs South Africa - Marie Spearing, Deb Ireson, Ravani Duggan

Midwifery care in Sierra Leone - Brooke Jones

Trauma and torture - Renay Grech

National Update - ACM President Tracy Martin

The journey to become an Eligible Midwife- Pauline Costins

Setting up a group practice - Centred Midwifery Group Practice Inc midwives

REGISTRATION 08.30 - 09.00
Registration includes refreshments & lunch
Sundowner drinks and nibbles 16.30 - 17.30
Free parking all day

REGISTRATIONS CLOSE
3RD MAY 2011

EnquirIes: Elizabeth Ashton: Liz.Ashton@health.wa.gov.au

To Register
www.midwives.org.au
ACM NATIONAL OFFICE
(02) 6230 7333 1300 360 480 (free call)
Email: members@midwives.org.au

FULL DAY COST (GST INCLUSIVE)
MEMBERS $100 / NON -MEMBERS $120
STUDENTS $70 / GROUP BOOKING
(4 OR MORE ) DISCOUNT $10 PP
ACM CPD points apply
*Program subject to change

Film Night: Babies: 5th May 2011

We are celebrating International Day of the Midwife: This is a private viewing for midwives: Come and join us at the Windsor 98 Stirling Highway Nedlands May 5th 2011 to watch:

The adventure of a lifetime begins…

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Thomas Balmès, from an original idea by producer Alain Chabat, Babies simultaneously follows four babies around the world – from birth to first steps. The children are, respectively, in order of on-screen introduction: Ponijao, who lives with her family near Opuwo, Namibia; Bayarjargal, who resides with his family in Mongolia, near Bayanchandmani; Mari, who lives with her family in Tokyo, Japan; and Hattie, who resides with her family in the United States, in San Francisco.
Re-defining the nonfiction art form, Babies joyfully captures on film the earliest stages of the journey of humanity that are at once unique and universal to us all.

View the trailer at:
www.focusfeatures.com/babies

Send us an email acmwabranch@gmail.com and let us know if you would like to purchase tickets: Cost:$15.00

To transfer directly into WA ACM Bank please use your surname & initial as a reference point; BSB 086 509 & Account number: 01516 6014 and then email us acmwabranch@gmail.com the receipt number to confirm the deposit of your funds.

Hope to see you all there..... cheers Pauline

Please comment on the Homebirth Policy for WA

The Women's and Newborns' Health Network is seeking comments on a draft Home Birth Policy and Guidance for Health Professionals, Health Services and Consumers. The Review of homebirths in Western Australia released in August 2008 made recommendations for conducting home births in WA which have been incorporated into this Policy.

The Policy will be applicable to qualified health professionals (i.e. registered midwives and/or medical practitioners) working in the Western Australian public health system when caring for women who make an informed choice to give birth at home.

Please send an email to healthpolicy@health.wa.gov.au to request a copy of the Policy and a Feedback Form. The deadline for comments is 31 March 2011. Date has been extended to Friday 8 April.... please send in your comments:

Kind regards

Dr Janet Hornbuckle and Assoc Prof Graeme Boardley
Co-Leads, Women's and Newborns' Health Network

Some rules for Facebook:

This is a timely reminder about the importance of confidentiality and professional conduct when using Facebook (FB)considering approximately 54% of Australians use this social medium.

After doing a web search regarding some legal issues on FB... I have come up with a list of rules that might help you keep out of trouble in the work place or anywhere else relating to FB.

Rule 1: really consider carefully who you are letting into your FB as a ‘friend’, if you allow mangers, work colleagues/associates this means you let your work into your private life. Ensure you have a closed privacy setting.

Rule 2: Do not mention anything to do with your work place no matter how insignificant you think it is... if you can be connected to your work by your comment you probably break the golden rules of ‘confidentially’ and ‘Code of Conduct’.

Rule 3: Be mindful of the photos of yourself you allow on FB, these photos become the property of FB and if you are acting in an unbecoming manner this could come back to bite you later. Don’t allow people to take your photo without asking you and letting you know if it is going on FB.

Rule 4: Do not write on FB when you are angry or under the influence of alcohol once the information is in cyber space it stays there: Internet Defamation is the fastest growing litigation ....so don’t write anything derogatory about anyone.

Rule 5: People seem to believe what you do outside of work does not affect your work life....WRONG....this is dependent on what it is and if you have you bought your profession/company/school into disrepute? Just think of our footballers .....there is a prime example of unbecoming behaviour.

Rule 6: Social responsibility: this is like a duty of care to society, a reciprocal duty: we owe society and society owes us a mutually beneficial obligation. Be kind to each other.

The bottom line for FB is be careful who you invite in your world, don’t talk about work, don’t say anything derogatory and be mindful of the photos you let FB have:Respect privacy:

Happy Facebooking!!!!!!!

WA Homebirth Policy open for public consultation... be pro-active: please review

Message for distribution via ACM WA blog:

Time to be pro active, have you say about how policies are written.... email healthpolicy@health.wa.gov.au for your copy of the Homebirth policy and give some feedback all feed back is welcome:


The Women's and Newborns' Health Network is seeking comments on a draft Home Birth Policy and Guidance for Health Professionals, Health Services and Consumers. The Review of homebirths in Western Australia released in August 2008 made recommendations for conducting home births in WA which have been incorporated into this Policy.

The Policy will be applicable to qualified health professionals (i.e. registered midwives and/or medical practitioners) working in the Western Australian public health system when caring for women who make an informed choice to give birth at home.

Please send an email to healthpolicy@health.wa.gov.au to request a copy of the Policy and a Feedback Form. The deadline for comments is 31 March 2011.

Kind regards

Dr Janet Hornbuckle and Assoc Prof Graeme Boardley
Co-Leads, Women's and Newborns' Health Network

WA Branch Executive Committee 2011

WA ACM Branch President Ms Terri Barrett:

Dear Members,

I am sorry for the delay in posting this information on the blog. I have been trying to play catch up with the posts:

Current WA Branch Positions are as follows:
President- Terri Barrett:
Vice President- Pauline Costins:
National Director- Tracy Martin:
Secretary- Laura Robertson:
Treasurer- Sylvia Jenkin:
Education Officer- Liz Ashton:
Minute secretary- Trish Dempsey:
Merchandise / Publicity- Carli Beange:
Community Rep- Sara Bayes:
General committee members- Liza Kennedy & Sue Cudlipp:
Consumer Rep- Shelley Gower:
MESAC rep- Janice Butt:
Student reps from ECU & Curtin Universities:
Education subcommittee- Carol Pinch & Judith Wilson:

Please feel free to contact the executive committee with any of your questions or if you require professional support: acmwabranch@gmail.com

WA congratulate Tracy Martin as the National President of the College and Terri Barrett as the WA President:

These are exciting times for midwifery and especially for WA with our own Director in the National President position.

With the National Maternity Plan signed off by the Federal Minister for Health in November last year, the jurisdictions are now looking to the implementation phase. The ACM WA Branch Executive Committee is committed to informing and supporting members on matters related to the maternity reform agenda.

At a local level the Executive Committee has recently undertaken their annual planning and will focus on increasing our membership, improving the services the Branch provides and ensuring that governance processes are transparent and robust. This will include the development of a ACM WA Branch specific Constitution. The Committee welcomes your input and we hope to see you at our International Midwife Day celebration: Terri Barrett WA President


Please once again don't hesitate to contact us if you want a chat, post something on the blog, have any idea's you want to share, or any education sessions you would like: email us on acmwabranch@gmail.com

Thanks for your time
Pauline