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Midwives want government to deliver

Midwives are calling on the government to introduce a new Midwives Act, in the wake of the recent House of Commons Health Committee report on maternity services.

The Midwifery Legislation Group (MLG), a campaigning group established three years ago by the Association of Radical Midwives, believes that existing legislation fails to allow midwives to maintain control of their profession.

The first Midwives Act, in 1902, recognised midwives as autonomous professionals in law. But in 1979 this was replaced by the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act. The act established National Boards for professional regulation.

’Despite statutory midwifery committees at National Board level, midwives are not being listened to, or worse, heard and ignored’, said Chris Warren, an independent midwife and member of the MLG.

The health committee’s report recommends that midwives take full responsibility for women under their care, and that midwife-managed maternity units be developed both within and outside hospitals.

’For midwives to be able to provide this care they must be fully autonomous practitioners’, said Ms Warren. ‘Without new legislation, I believe midwives will become extinct, replaced by obstetric nurses. Women and their families will be the losers.’

The MLG is asking supporters to lobby their local MP to support a new Midwives Act. Contact the MLG at 34 Elm Quay Court, Nine Elms Lane, London SW8 5DE