ON July 17, the federal election was called.
Unwittingly or otherwise, the previous day the Department of Health and Ageing quietly rushed before the Governor-General a document defining collaboration for midwives.
As part of a continuing series on the issues facing voters in selected marginal seats, theangle’s Rich Bowden talks to Amy Bell, Independent candidate for the NSW seat of Macquarie, a seat held notionally by Labor by 0.1 percent margin after a redistribution. Ms Bell talks about maternity reform, local hospital staffing and her belief that Macquarie voters are looking for politicians to address local issues.
Today Tonight Segment of homebirth legislation (Perth)
Last year Ms Roxon announced that from November this year midwives would for the first time be able to use the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Medicare rebates for their clients.
At the time, Ms Roxon said the historic move would boost a midwife’s ability to work independently and increase options for pregnant women, especially those in rural areas who struggle to get access to care.
“This Government has failed to provide adequate support for practising midwives who are case managing expectant mothers but who are not eligible for professional indemnity to support a mother in a lawful home birth,” said Sharman Stone, Shadow Minister for the Status of Women
The peak body for midwives says some women are being refused a drug called Syntocinon, which prevents haemorrhaging after birth.
The college says it is aware of a cluster of cases in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, and accuses doctors of trying to make “political statements”.
They’re signalling that home births are outside acceptable birthing practices and thus midwives who attend home births are basically on their own.
DOCTORS, fearing they will be sued, are refusing to prescribe drugs or order tests for women who want to give birth at home, and this is forcing mothers to give birth in hospitals or putting lives at risk, midwives say.
Privately practising midwives and their patients get extra protection from today with Commonwealth Government-supported professional indemnity insurance now available.
According to our friends at Celebrity Baby Scoop, Gisele launched the site to “share her pride in being a powerful woman.” In addition to items on various topics, she discussed the home birth of her son, Benjamin — whose father is NFL star Tom Brady. Here’s what she had to say in her first blog post, “A Gift From Life”: