Independent midwives only carry insurance until the end of March
INDEPENDENT MIDWIVES are hopeful of a breakthrough in talks taking place with the Health Service Executive (HSE) over the issue of clinical indemnity insurance.
The midwives are only insured until March 31st under cover which was negotiated with the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO).
In a statement, the HSE said it was working with all stakeholders to "develop a framework for a comprehensive National Home Birth Scheme" as quickly as possible. It said the issue of insurance would be considered in the context of the scheme to be implemented.
It also held out the possibility that the INO will extend the cover currently being offered to the nurses for a further six months.
The issue will be considered this week by the national implementation committee of the Domiciliary Birth Implementation Group.
It was set up to implement the recommendations of a report into home births in Ireland written by Sheila O'Malley in 2004. The group is expected to meet on Friday. The group consists of doctors, midwives and parents involved in the issue of home births.
The INO originally announced its decision to withdraw from providing clinical indemnity insurance from last September, citing the costs involved.
However, it agreed to extend it for six months to facilitate the committee's work.
Independent midwives are looking for cover under the clinical indemnity scheme which covers all workers employed by the HSE. The insurance covers security against damage, loss or injury during labour.
The negotiations are being held through the Domiciliary Birth Implementation Group which was set up in 2004 to promote home births in Ireland.
The Republic's 20 independent midwives fear they will no longer be able to practise after March 31st.
They say there are too few of them to get insured collectively and individual insurance premiums could cost between €10,000 and €50,000 each, making it impossible for them to make a viable living.
They also fear that will effectively mean the end of home births in Ireland as independent midwives account for all but 40 of the 400 home births carried out in the State each year.
Independent midwife Colm O'Boyle said the issue had dragged on for too long: "This is a last chance for the HSE and for the Government to insure us. They have to make the decision morally whether to cover home births or not.
"The alternative for us is to give up home births or to practise without insurance, neither of which we want to do."
He said a failure on the part of the HSE to insure the independent midwives was against the stated policy of the health service to encourage more home births. Currently, Ireland has one of the lowest level of home births in the EU.
Sally Millar, a lecturer in home birth at Trinity College Dublin, who is a member of the sub-committee of the group, said insurance was a "nettle that no one wants to grasp".
She said the HSE may offer independent midwives an interim arrangement which stops short of full cover. Cover may not be offered to women who live long distances from hospitals, are above a certain age or who have certain medical conditions.
She said some women, who insist on a home birth, may have to go it alone. "It is not morally what they should be forced to do," she said.
The HSE statement concluded: "The HSE is making every effort to achieve a workable framework by the provision of a home birth service as a safe option for women, as quickly as possible."
