Hello All

As you may well know (if you read the last open letter), I have never had a home-birth (unlike Libby, and unlike my beautiful grandmother Annie, who did it eleven times), but I was beautifully cared for by a private midwife during and post my pregnancy, and during my labour. These women cared so well and so deeply for my family and I. No-one knows their stuff like a good independent midwife. They are just one in a million and worthy of our full support.

Below is an open letter from the learned Justine Cairnes (from Homebirth Australia) who is doing what she can to make sure the option of a safe home-birth with an independent midwife is still available for Australian families in the future . This letter outlines what you and I can do to support this quest. It would be great if you could get a chance to contribute. Please, do get submissions in to the Senate Inquiries as soon as you possibly can (as outlined in the second half of the letter).

Thanks for caring!

CB x

KEEP PRIVATE HOMEBIRTH ALIVE ACTION PLAN – All Women: Choice and a Voice

The intersection of Commonwealth legislation to regulate and accredit all health professionals and that of Medicare access for Midwives will eliminate the ability for a woman to contract a private registered midwife providing homebirth. This is due to an inability to secure professional indemnity insurance and an unwillingness by Minister Roxon to provide homebirth midwives with the same protection as all other health professionals

Medical Indemnity is clearly a FEDERAL issue. Since 2001 approx $1billion of taxpayer funds has supported medical indemnity premiums. Homebirth midwives have consistently been denied premium support. Women who choose homebirth are the only health consumers without the protection of indemnity insurance.

As a developed country Australia is out of step with other nations such as Canada, UK, New Zealand and The Netherlands, which offer public funded homebirth. By making homebirth unlawful Australia is on par with a state of the U.S like Alabama where capital punishment still exists.

Homebirth Australia is demanding indemnity support for homebirth midwives and the protection of insurance to consumers. It has been made clear in recent consultations regarding national registration that policy makers will no longer accept homebirth midwives practicing without indemnity insurance.

The Maternity Services Review Report, (forerunner to the Minister announcing Medicare for Midwives) stated

In recognising that, at the current time in Australia, homebirthing is a sensitive and controversial issue, the Review Team has formed the view that the relationship between maternity health care professionals is not such as to support homebirth as a mainstream Commonwealth-funded option (at least in the short term). The Review also considers that moving prematurely to a mainstream private model of care incorporating homebirthing risks polarising the professions rather than allowing the expansion of collaborative approaches to improving choice and services for Australian women and their babies.

The Department of Health and Ageing and Minister Roxon¹s office has tried to Œhand-ball¹ homebirth to state governments to provide hospital in the home type programs. By offering Medicare funding for Midwives, the states have little incentive to offer homebirth services. The states that currently provide state funded homebirth services only do so within tight geographic locations to a limited number of women. They also operate under restrictive protocols, which are not necessarily based on evidence but what is palatable to controlling interests. This cannot be the only option for homebirth in Australia.

The rights of women to make choices about their health care are being seriously eroded. Homebirth Australia is seeking advice regarding human rights covenants that Australia are a signatory to, including CEDAW and the United Nations Statement on the Rights of Women (1995) that states “Women have the right to have control over, and decide freely and responsibly on all matters relating to their sexual and reproductive health”

It is also unacceptable that through a lack of willingness to indemnify homebirth midwives the result will prevent women accessing registered midwives. State based models will be unable to cover the same geography that community based homebirth midwives currently do. In fact with Medicare funding greater access could have been achieved, enabling more women homebirth with a registered midwife.

WHAT CAN I DO?

A successful campaign relies on many layers of support, from letters to local politicians, personal visits, attending rallies and meeting Ministers.
Every bit does help!

To find your local federal member go to the Australian Electoral Commission Website http://apps.aec.gov.au/esearch/
If your local federal member is a Government member (Labor Party) it is important to ask them where they stand on the issue. Are they prepared to support women¹s choice being removed. Are they happy that women who choose to give birth at home will be forced to do so without a registered midwife?

Please ask them to forward your concerns to Minister Roxon and ask for a copy of her response.
If your local member is a member of the Coalition (Liberal/National) remind them that a central tenant to Liberal ideology is the Œrights of the individual¹. Are they prepared to remove the right of women and their families to choose where and with whom they give birth?
Can you personally visit your local politician? If so contact Homebirth Australia for a briefing by emailing justine.caines@bigpond.com

Senate Inquiries

There are currently 2 Senate Inquiries into relevant legislation affecting women¹s choice to give birth at home with a private registered midwife.

Inquiry into National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for Doctors and Other Health Workers. Whilst it is unlikely that there will be agreement to remove the requirement that homebirth midwives hold insurance. We should clearly state that the Commonwealth must indemnify homebirth midwives until a private policy can be found.

This enquiry is taking submissions until 6 August 2009

Inquiry into Health Legislation Amendment (Midwives and Nurse
Practitioners) Bill 2009 and two related Bills In the last week of Parliament we were successful in having the budget related ŒMedicare for midwives¹ bills taken to an inquiry so submissions could be sought. This is important as it gives us time to meet with Senators and raise our concerns before any bills are passed and become legislation.

This enquiry is taking submissions until 20 July 2009 So please get your submission in quickly Just a one pager stating the inequity of not funding and indemnifying private homebirth and what that means for you is enough.

MOTHER OF ALL RALLES SEPTEMBER 7 Parliament House Canberra 11.30am 2.00pm It seems having a woman who is a recent Mum as a health Minister has done us no favours, come to Canberra and unite in telling Nicola Roxon and all politicians that WOMEN MUST BE ABLE TO CHOOSE WHERE AND WITH WHOM THEY GIVE BIRTH.