CONSULTATION ON INSURANCE FOR INDEPENDENT MIDWIVES

That this House notes that independent midwives are healthcare professionals regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and supervised by local supervisory authorities; welcomes the fact that independent midwives provide one-to-one continuity of care, which is the gold standard in maternity care, and facilitate home births and a less medicalised birthing experience; further notes that, without consulting the profession, the Government intends to require all independent midwives to have professional indemnity insurance, which they are currently unable to obtain on the open market, and that independent midwives might therefore be forced to cease practising; believes that the loss of independent midwives would work against the Government's stated policy of promoting one-to-one maternity care and choice about where to give birth and what pain relief to use; further believes that the link between having insurance and being a safer midwife has not been proven; and therefore calls on the Government to outline the reasons for this change in policy and to postpone any legislative changes until after a full consultation has taken place.