KentOnline| News | Midwives go medieval to show profession's plight
This same insurance issue caused the Birthing Center in Bethesda, staffed by Certified Nurse Midwives, to close several years ago. This was personally very troubling, as it's where I gave birth in 1991. They delivered a 9 1/2 pound baby with no medical intervention. I was told that in a hospital I would either have had a C Section or forceps.
Midwifery is one of the most important professions in the medical community, and rather than marginalize them by revoking their insurance, they should be embraced by insurance companies as providing cost-effective, safe birthing alternatives.
KentOnline| News | Midwives go medieval to show profession's plight:
Fears that independent midwives may not be able to get insurance led to one getting a 'ducking'.
Virginia Howes, who runs the Kent Midwifery Practice, waded into the River Stour in Canterbury to draw attention to the Save Independent Midwifery Campaign.
She was watched by midwives from across the county and some of their clients at the Weavers Restaurant, while an effigy was placed in the historic ducking stool that hangs off the side of the restaurant above the river.
The ducking stunt echoed the tradition of the fate of witches and midwives who were often treated with suspicion and fear in Medieval times.
A lack of insurance means hundreds of independent midwives up and down the country could be forced to stop work in the face of government guidelines by the end of next year.
Partner at the Ashford-based Kent Midwifery Practice, Kay Hardie, said: “No one will insure us.
“We are a high risk group and the pot is small for any coverage because we work outside the NHS.
“We offer invaluable one-to-one care for pregnant women and many more are choosing alternative methods to give birth.
“We hope that the Primary Care Trusts will buy our services in the same way they do for GP services.
“In that way we would have insurance coverage.”