Independent Candidate for Dickson for the House of Representatives is Rebecca Jenkinson from Ferny Hills (rebecca_jenkinson_dickson@yahoo.com.au )a local mother of two who is passionate about women having the right to choose when it comes to giving birth.
It was reported in The Weekend Australian 7-8 August (Health page 8 Barbara Cook)that the Department of Health and Ageing on 16 July 2010 put before the Governor-General a document defining collaboration for midwives. It’s now set in law how women will be able to access private midwifery and Medicare rebates.
Women wanting care by a private midwife need to be approved. A collaborative care plan must be prepared with a signed agreement between a doctor midwife and client. There is no incentive or process for doctors to provide collaboration agreements enabling a woman to give birth under a midwife’s care. Choice for a woman who wanting to give birth within the confines of a hospital with her private midwife has effectively been made difficult to obtain.