Working with NSW Health

ACM NSW Branch regularly meets with the Chief Nurse for NSW to discuss midwifery realted issues in the NSW health care system. We are happy to put forward agenda items if there is an issue in your workplace that is outstanding. For example, we are discussing the issuing of name tags that have registered nurse rather than midwife on them.

NSW Health has developed a credentialing program for midwives working in ‘primary midwifery led models of care’ through a collaborative group involving NSWMA and the Centre for Midwifery & Family Health at UTS. Whilst recognising that this poses certain challenges to some, we see this as a strategy towards ensuring greater support and recognition for midwives who choose to work in this way.

NSW Health is funding Professsional Development workshops for rural midwives in NSW. These workshops provide up to date information to midwives on planned changes to registration requirements in 2010 and developing your professional portfolio.

NSWMA representative on the NSW Maternal and Perinatal Committee (second monthly)
The NSW Maternal and Perinatal Committee is a state committee that meets in the NSW Health Department every couple of months. The committee is made up of many different clinicians from various areas of maternity care as well as consumers. This is a confidential committee that reviews maternal deaths and many other relevant maternity issues. It makes recommendations to the NSW Minster for Health regarding health policy. Now the NSWM&P committee is a Health Priority Taskforce we hope more funding and more action will result. The Models Workshop held in September last year brought many clinicians together to collaborate and plan maternity services in NSW.

ACM NSW Branch External Committee Representation

NSWNA Midwifery Reference Group
The NSWNA Midwifery Reference Group is run second monthly at the NSW Nurses Association (NSWNA). This meeting was designed to enable collaboration between the ACM NSW Branch and NSWNA on relevant issues. It has been a valuable forum for addressing issues where there are industrial or major political influences that are best handled in a collaborative way.

Representative on the Executive Committee of the Pregnancy and Newborn Services Network (second monthly)
The NSW Pregnancy and Newborn Services Network Executive Committee is also a State committee made up of many different clinicians involved in maternity care provision. There are several smaller committees representing different areas in maternity care that report to it. Hannah Dahlen represents midwives on the state Executive Committee and we are able to bring issues concerning us to the committee.

The Midwives Practice Committee
When the Nurses Registration Board changed to the Nurses and Midwives Board following the change to the Act, a midwifery practice committee was set up. Midwives were nominated by their professional bodies and their Area Health Services to this committee. This committee will provide advice to the Nurses and Midwives Board in relation to the accreditation of courses of education and training and matters of education generally in connection with registration of midwives. Hannah Dahlen was nominated by her Area Health Service and joins other great midwives like Kate Dyer, Jane Griffith, Pat Brodie, Nicky Leap etc.