Legislation about to be passed criminalising homebirth

[JaneyC04]

Hi all,

Wasnt sure of the right area in the forum for this, and couldnt see this info anywhere else. I have just recieved an email regarding a recent Federal Government maternity services review which has proposed changes in legislation which will deregulate and criminalise homebirth as an option for women. There is a heap on info at the aust homebirth website and they have a rally organised in Canberra. I hadnt heard about this and thought maybe I should mention it on the forum in case others hadnt either.

We chose a hospital birth, but I strongly believe in birthing choices. Check out the website for how you can help.

[Emily33]

Thanks Janey for reminder. This situation is disgusting. Will post again later but here's my first instalment.

Here's a thread in the Birth info and questions forum http://forums.naturalparenting.com.a...homebirth.html. There are some links. The Maternity Coalition link advises how we can take action... letter to Roxon MP, rally in Canberra on 7 Sept. Worth reading. It angers me that our right to choose where we can birth will be taken away... if we don't take action!!!

This is serious...

[Emily33]

Keep Private Midwifery Alive! | Home Birth Australia

Maternity Coalition-Campaigns

[Emily33]

Sign the petition here: Sign the Petition to Save Private Midwifery | Home Birth Australia

[Emily33]

Please send letter to Roxon.

Here are some pointers, copied from the Homebirth Australia link http://www.homebirthaustralia.org/ke...idwifery-alive:

...PLEASE send your local federal member a letter with your homebirth story and a photo that shows them how safe and supportive homebirth is. Send a copy of the letter and photo to Health Minister, Nicola Roxon Politician’s Fact Sheet/Info for your letter.

Nicola Roxon
Minister For Health and Aging
Parliment House
Canberra ACT 2601

• The Maternity Services Review Report is the 38th review or inquiry into maternity services since 1985 – An unprecedented number of submissions was received (950) Only 500 were received for the National Health and Hospital’s Reform Commission

• Over half (53% of the consumer submissions to the MSR discussed homebirth and yet the MSR did not recommend publicly funding for homebirth.

• There are plans for a national registration body (July 2010), a necessary registration requirement is indemnity insurance. If private practicing midwives are not assisted with indemnity insurance the option of homebirth will be illegal. This is not acceptable. Women will continue to choose homebirth, many after hospital trauma.

• It is not appropriate to force women to give birth at home without a midwife

• Midwives are currently prevented from working to their level of registration and education

• Child-birth is the largest volume area of health, with now over 280,000 births/yr

• Midwives are the only health professionals without indemnity insurance, despite a $500 M support package for medical practitioners since 2001

• Maternity funding placates the entrenched medical dominance, promoting the professional ‘turf-war’
• Maternity care is unique in the fact that it is a finite episode. There are considerable benefits to establish a package payment, a ‘baby-bonus’ type payment for healthcare
• Since the Medicare Safety-net was introduced in 2004 payments to Obstetricians have increased by around 300%
• Private health insurance is essentially a ‘closed-shop’ for maternity care. Women are forced to utilise private obstetricians.

• Private maternity care could be more supportive and much cheaper if private midwifery was enabled. Current homebirth midwives are the most experienced in providing 1-2-1 midwifery care. They need to be able to continue to practice to guide the essential reform process.

• Many accepted reforms have come from homebirth midwives and women (partners present at birth, use of warm water for pain relief, removing unnecessary and inappropriate routine interventions enemas, shaving, episiotomy)

[south_oz_bella]

The change in legislation is not "anti-homebirth" persay, but pro "indemnity insurance for all health practitioners" - 12 professions in all. Sounds great on paper, but the only health practitioners who will be covered by this legislation who can't get indemnitiy insurance are independent midwives which by virtue makes it anti-homebirth.

All Independent Midwives (homebirth midwives who are not working through a hospital or birth centre homebirth unit) in Australia currently work without indemnity insurance and have been doing so since the mid 1990's. There are about 150 independent midwives in Australia, so with premiums of around $800, no business is willing to insure them as there isn't a large enough pool of $$ to make it worth it economically.

The federal government is changing the criteria for registration (of all 12 health professions) from competency based criteria (correct training, working within professional guidelines and legislation, ongoing education, etc) to competency criteria listed above and "must have insurance" (an economic criteria). This therefore hands over the future of all of these professions to third party businesses - if an insurance company will cover you, you have the profession, if not, it will be wiped out. This isn't good enough!

From my perspective as a Registered Nurse, i will be an RN only within the 4 walls of the hospital i am employed by, but will face a $30,000 fine if i act as an RN outside of my hospital (because my insurance, provided by my work, is only valid at the hospital). So i will no longer be able to volunteer as a first aid officer at any event. I currently go on at least 1 youth camp each year and am first aid officer. This upcoming Oct will be my last if the legislation passes. Instead, someone with less training and experience will have to be first aid officer and I will only be able to help in an emergency. This isn't good enough!

Regardless of where you stand in the homebirth debate, this legislation (admittedly great on paper) is terrible for our health system.

WHAT CAN I DO??
The federal and state governments need to know that the Australian population is unhappy with this. Send letters to (better than emails, but emails are good too) and book a meeting with your MPs, sign petitions, come to the Homebirth Rally on Sept 7 in Canberra (or $25 virtual attendance through Homebirth Australia), ring parliament house on Sept 7 from 11am ACT time to say you couldn't be there but support the cause (hoping to jam to phone lines for as long as possible), tell others. Let's get the word out!

Amy

[Purly]

Welcome to NP Amy and thank-you very much for posting your perspective.

That is amazing that you will not be allowed to be a first aid officer while all of this is being sorted. Insanity really. I hope that all of this is sorted soon and choice is restored for people to birth where they want and for you to be able to help people when necessary.

[Nyree]

Parliament of Australia: Senate: Committees: Community Affairs: Inquiry into Health Legislation Amendment (Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill 2009 and two related Bills

The more people that write a submission to the Senate Committee, the better. They need to see big numbers of people unhappy with the proposed legislation!! Even a one page letter is enough! Please send it in before 20th JULY to make a difference!

[south_oz_bella]

Also, make an appointment to see your federal MP and Senators. A letter to them is worth a 100 signature petition, a face-to-face meeting is worth a 1000 signature petition. It takes some time, but the more "faces" they see that are effected by this legislation, the better!

The fact that the government are willing to stake 12 entire health professions on the idea that there will always be third party insurance companies to provide insurance is crazy! If a multimillion dollar lawsuit happens (like the $11million case in obstetrics in the mid 90's) and insurance companies flee from a speciality or profession (like in obstetrics and midwifery, the gov has been forking out $$$ for Obstetricians insurance ever since) then a whole profession could become unregistered and therefore illegal. Craziness!

Amy (off to see the state and federal MPs next week!)

[Susan]

Wow, Amy I didn't realise that implications were so far reaching. I am sure others are not aware of that also. Thanks for your input.