Women's Rights

Style Police wrote on November 4th 2008 that midwives are 'transient in women's lives'. How I would beg to differ with that statement. Not only do I remember all the midwives that cared for me through 3 pregnancies, labours and during very stormy post-natal times but I remember their faces and names as clearly as if it was yesterday. In real time it is now nearly 40 years since I had my first baby and those midwives were certainly not transient to me or my babies.

How sad it is that we now are educating and delivering a work force of midwives who have no concept of professionalism and vocation. To be a midwife - with woman, is totally that and we are not looking after tins of biscuits on a production line as much as it may feel like this at times. No, we are providing a service and that does mean some sacrifice along the way and if as a midwife you are doing this as a 'professional' then you will certainly not be transient in women's lives - quite the opposite in fact. To become a professional and remain one, requires some degree of discipline and high standards - after all - midwives are dealing with real lives and not some reality show. To sustain this high standard requires constant updating and a life time of continuing professional development.

How can this be achieved safely and to standards required of the NMC (2004) for example, if when midwives go on maternity leave themslves don't return for over a year and do not attend the mandatory study days (which are supposed to be 10 in total) whilst they are on leave? And when they finally do return to the work place on very reduced hours (some only 1 day a week) how are they supposed to maintain their safety and high standard of care for the women that they look after on these very reduced hours and lack of professional study?

In these highly litigatious times, Trusts seriously need to consider the safety of allowing this kind of practice to continue. I certainly would not wish to be cared for by midwives who had been out of the professional arena for so long with no updating that is required by all midwives who declare themselves 'Fit to Practice' when clearly they are not. (NMC Midwives Rules and Standards).