Working with UK Birth Centres

I am an Independent midwife now working for  UK Birth Centres ltd and loving it, how does my job as an Independent Midwife differ now if at all ?

Before I consider that question, it is important that I fill you in a little on the political changes that have come to bear on my working practices as an Independent Midwife in the UK. The EEC brought in a law making Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) mandatory and this law was later ratified by the British government with effect from October 2013.

However this date has been postponed until February 2014 the month that all midwives have to sign their annual intention to practice form which lays out the legal framework in which we can operate.

Last year the department of Health consultation paper on the Healthcare and associated Professions Indemnity Arrangements order 2013 looked into the consequences of PII and concluded.

“The draft order will bring to an end the ability of Independent Midwives (IM’s) to provide care to women as self- employed practitioners outside the NHS. The mandatory Registration requirement will force IM’s to de-register as midwives because they have no means of securing Indemnity Insurance for Self-employed Practice”

That was a death knell to my wonderful midwifery life!  So I had a retirement party and celebrated in the sunshine with a hundred past clients!

Thankfully though I was approached by UK Birth Centres Ltd who offered me the chance to work as an IM on a zero hour’s contract with full PII provision. The company would provide all medical equipment and gases as well as professional mandatory up dating. Following several meetings and some misgivings, I decided to join them in October 2013!

I am loving being back at the heart of true Midwifery, offering personalised professional midwifery support to a caseload of women who wish to know their midwife. I have already supported several women and can honestly say that from the clinical aspect my role has remained uncompromised by being employed. That is to say there has been flexibility offered re payment to the clients and I have been able to support women’s choice despite it being contrary to the NHS guidelines and enabled them to gain control of their birth.

 A lot of people carry fear about birth, both men and women alike. Gaining control in a fearful situation means trusting those around you. The feeling that you have choices and that you hope you will be supported with your choices is at the heart of trust. Working as I do for a company that was set up by an Independent Midwife and has a holistic approach putting women at the very heart of care I have found as an added benefit the care and support that is also extended to the midwives!

This has been the main difference for me as I look forward with excitement to working with UK Birth Centres Ltd in 2014.  I too am being nurtured and cared for as part of the UKBC family and this means that in turn I can continue to give my clients the intense attention they deserve.