New research suggests that doctors and midwives are poles apart....strangely enough I did not need research to tell me that....but in terms of putting into perspective research is the answer because it is now in black and white.....
Sue Kruske's work shows that....."a survey of 460 midwives, GP obstetricians and obstetricians found that over half of doctors thought they should have the final say in maternity care but only 4% of midwives agreed..... "
NOW THERE IS a surprise...(tongue in cheek)
"On the other hand, over 90% of midwives thought they should be the final decision maker, but only 30% of doctors agreed with this, according to the survey carried out at the Queensland Centre for Mothers and Babies and presented at a maternity services conference in Alice Springs."
“The results showed while there was a widespread [agreement] with the definition of collaboration, there were significant differences in the way this definition translated into practice,” says researcher Associate Professor Sue Kruske, a midwife and child and family health nurse."
"Both groups indicated that they thought the current system did not support collaboration between doctors and midwives. Nearly all doctors respected midwives, but this was not reciprocal, with only 75% of midwives saying they respected doctors.... I wonder if this is because mutual understanding of the role of the midwife is not agreed....doctors do not acknowledge that midwives are the experts in normal childbirth......."
The NHMRC is working as a go between to try to get RANZCOG and the College of Midwives to agree on the referral guidelines.
I see the major difference being that midwives focus on the 'woman' being at the centre of care....where doctors are paternalistic and think they know what is best, despite what the woman wants......
it is interesting to get RANZCOG at the table when they have a position statement that does not support homebirth....so it is clear that they are not willing to compromise......
From November, midwives will be able to access the MBS when working collaboratively.
Ref:No compromise in sight on maternity care
by Jared Reed
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