Happy New Year to All

Dear Readers,

I am taking this opportunity to say thank you for reading this blog and next year I will endeavour to update it more frequently. This has been a new venture which I have enjoyed doing and hope to get some dialogue going next year with you all... Next month look out for the annual General Meeting Report and for all the new Board positions. Also watch out for exciting new merchandise from the WA ACM that you will be able to order and purchace hopefully online.....

Remember to follow this blog for the latest information regarding National Registration coming July 2010.....

Wishing you all a very Happy, healthy and safe New Year...... "May all your dreams turn into Goals"

Cheers Pauline

For those midwives wanting to read more about what is happening: .. please click on the link HEALTH LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (MIDWIVES AND NURSE PRACTITIONERS) BILL 2009

Its good to go to page three and read some of the definitions:

Schedule 1--Amendments relating to 1 medicare benefits and pharmaceutical 2 benefits

2 6 Subsection 3(1) 3 Insert: 4 participating midwife means: 5 (a) if the Minister has approved a common form of undertaking 6 under section 21A--an eligible midwife in respect of whom 7 there is in force an undertaking given by him or her and 8 accepted by the Minister under section 21B; or 9 (b) otherwise--an eligible midwife

We have to watch and see how this will be determined.... "the eligible midwife"

cheers Pauline

Collaboration- what does this entail?

There is a lot of discussion in Parliament about Midwives the role of the midwife, the role of the obstetrician.... and that word Collaboration. As we know obstetricians would like collaboration to mean they have the last say..... however we all now that this is not the true meaning of the word....
Senator Siewert- discussed issues surrounding consensus.....

Senator SIEWERT— One of the things I clearly know is that, if there is a power imbalance, consensus tends not to work, because at the end of the day the people holding the power can say, ‘I don’t care what you think; we’re the ones that sign on the dotted line at the end of this process.’ That seems to me to be one of the keys here. You can say that the medical practitioners will collaborate and want a consensus approach, but at the end of the day it is the medical profession and obstetricians who will be responsible for signing off on collaborative care arrangements under the current process, and that is what people are concerned about. It seems to me that it is clear that there is a power imbalance when you are happy with this amendment but patients, midwives and nurse practitioners are not happy with it. So that says to me that fundamentally there is an issue here.

Dr Pesce—All right. We have lots of very happy patients that do not seem to be unhappy with the power balance.........."

Senator SIEWERT—We have 2,000 emails from people saying that they do not like the current amendment.

Read more click the link: Community Affairs Legislation S12666.pdf

Also thanks Carolyn Hastie for inventing the wheel... take a look at her blog Thinkbirth:exploring birth, midwifery and related topics for further information:

Reference: Health Legislation Amendment (Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill
2009; Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Bill
2009; Midwife Professional Indemnity (Run-off Cover Support Payment) Bill 2009
THURSDAY, 17 DECEMBER 2009
CANBERRA
CONDITIONS OF DISTRIBUTION
This is an uncorrected proof of evidence taken before the committee.
It is made available under the condition that it is recognised
as such.
BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE
[PROOF COPY]
TO EXPEDITE

Cheers Pauline

WA Branch Annual General Meeting

Welcome to the Australian College of Midwives: Lets have a voice!

We as midwives need to make a difference, one easy way of doing this is by joining the Australian College of Midwives. This assists the profession in being recognised when lobbing the Government regarding policy that affects childbirth, women and midwives. The greater the membership the greater the voice.... so please come and have your say....

Come to the WA Branch ACM annual general meeting and put forward your ideas........ It is time to become politically pro-active.


Notice of Annual General Meeting

ACM - WA Branch

Time: Thursday 17th December at 5:30pm

Location: KEMH - Agnes Walsh Lounge.


Kind Regards

Australian College of Midwives