❓ Hon Giz Watson raises concerns about the cessation of professional indemnity insurance for community midwives and its impact on the continuation of the program. The Minister outlines steps taken to ensure the program's continuation, including a potential solution involving hospital employment and insurance coverage.
AnsweredQoN 373Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the cessation of professional indemnity insurance from 31 August 2001 for midwives employed under the community midwifery program. (1) What is the minister doing to ensure the community midwifery program continues to serve the women of Western Australia and their families at its present high standard after 31 August 2001? (2) Is the minister aware that if the community midwifery program does not continue after 31 August 2001, many pregnant women will not be able to continue to birth their children in the manner they choose? (3) To ensure that the community midwifery program continues after 31 August 2001, will the minister waive the Department of Health clause that requires midwives employed under the community midwifery program to hold professional indemnity insurance? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(1) What is the minister doing to ensure the community midwifery program continues to serve the women of Western Australia and their families at its present high standard after 31 August 2001? (2) Is the minister aware that if the community midwifery program does not continue after 31 August 2001, many pregnant women will not be able to continue to birth their children in the manner they choose? (3) To ensure that the community midwifery program continues after 31 August 2001, will the minister waive the Department of Health clause that requires midwives employed under the community midwifery program to hold professional indemnity insurance? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(2) Is the minister aware that if the community midwifery program does not continue after 31 August 2001, many pregnant women will not be able to continue to birth their children in the manner they choose? (3) To ensure that the community midwifery program continues after 31 August 2001, will the minister waive the Department of Health clause that requires midwives employed under the community midwifery program to hold professional indemnity insurance? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(3) To ensure that the community midwifery program continues after 31 August 2001, will the minister waive the Department of Health clause that requires midwives employed under the community midwifery program to hold professional indemnity insurance? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(1) What is the minister doing to ensure the community midwifery program continues to serve the women of Western Australia and their families at its present high standard after 31 August 2001? (2) Is the minister aware that if the community midwifery program does not continue after 31 August 2001, many pregnant women will not be able to continue to birth their children in the manner they choose? (3) To ensure that the community midwifery program continues after 31 August 2001, will the minister waive the Department of Health clause that requires midwives employed under the community midwifery program to hold professional indemnity insurance? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(2) Is the minister aware that if the community midwifery program does not continue after 31 August 2001, many pregnant women will not be able to continue to birth their children in the manner they choose? (3) To ensure that the community midwifery program continues after 31 August 2001, will the minister waive the Department of Health clause that requires midwives employed under the community midwifery program to hold professional indemnity insurance? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(3) To ensure that the community midwifery program continues after 31 August 2001, will the minister waive the Department of Health clause that requires midwives employed under the community midwifery program to hold professional indemnity insurance? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(1) Representatives from the Department of Health, King Edward Memorial Hospital and the community midwifery program have been working together to ensure the program continues to be provided at the present level of service delivery throughout the metropolitan area while the issue of indemnity is being addressed. The Government is committed to the provision of a community-based midwifery model of care. An option that is proposed as a solution to enable the midwives to continue to provide this service is that King Edward Memorial Hospital will employ the midwives. They will then receive full professional indemnity cover through the hospital’s insurer, Riskcover. (2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(2) Yes. (3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
(3) No, as this places the Department of Health, the independent midwives, Community Midwifery WA Inc and patients at risk.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.