Wednesday 19 December 2012

Dear Health Minister

Its time to act for in the not too distant future through no fault of my own Independent Midwifery will becme illegal unless some serious consideration is given by the UK Government. Part of the campagin to draw attention to this serious problem is to get everyone to send a Christmas card to the Minister for Health. This is mine and below is the hand written message inside:


Dear Dan
I would like to wish you and your loved ones a very happy Christmas.
I would also like you to give me an amazing gift at this special time, one that will cost you nothing other than that which you do best. I would like you to truly consider the health of the women and their babies in this country and apply your politics in their favour. I am hand writing in this to you in the hope that you will not just return to me a standard template letter saying that the problems facing Independent Midwifery have been solved. A solution has not been found and from October 13th 2013, without true political will from a Government that cares, real choice for women will be a thing of the past.

Please Dan, help me to continue doing what I do best, help me to continue to serve my profession and do my duty. I would like you to help me to continue being a midwife who truly is, as the word means, with woman.

I became an independent midwife in order to give one to one care to women, to give choice to woman and to never leave her side when she is in need, to get to know her and for her  to get to know me. That type of care, which according to your own Government is gold standard has achieved outcomes that the NHS can only dream about until they too implement true women centred care.

As I understand it the piece of EU legislation that will make independent Midwifery illegal can be implemented by each individual country in the way they think best and so it is not outside of the UK Government to find a solution.  Social enterprise and contracting into the NHS is an amazing concept but is neither easy or a solution for it is not Independent Midwifery and will not solve the problems woman face. 

It is believed that the fall-out from this legislation will be illegal midwifery as there will be midwives who will not leave women to birth alone when those women cannot or will not use the NHS. If this comes to pass it will be a sad day for a country that has always had such a strong and respected midwifery profession at the heart of health care for women. If aspects of childbirth go underground how Dan, could this safeguard society or continue to regulate the profession of midwifery?

My plea is from my heart. Please please do not turn your back on us and the women that need and want us. In a few weeks’ time on prime time ITV1 you will see the way I work, you will see the commitment I have to my job, please watch the documentary in which I have taken part in order to  show how independent midwives do their duty and care for women. Please watch and think of me and all the other women who I want to care for in the future. Please don’t throw me away.

Yours  Sincerely

Virginia Howes