BULLETIN

prescribing update

The College was invited to the Safer prescribing and dispensing hui convened by the Ministry of Health, along with other health professional and regulatory bodies.

The purpose of the forum was to initiate cross-sector dialogue to support safer person-centred dispensing and prescribing practices. In New Zealand, medical practitioners, nurse practitioners, nurse prescribers, optometrist prescribers, dietitian prescribers, dentists, pharmacist prescribers and midwives have developed prescribing competencies in isolation from each other.

The hui members identified a number of common priorities across all professions and areas that could be strengthened to support safer prescribing across the board. There was a clear impetus for a single standard for prescribing across all groups rather than the individually developed standards currently being used, and this work will be led by the Pharmacy Council. square PRIMARY MATERNITY SERVICES NOTICE 2021 OPERATIONAL

The Primary Maternity Services Notice 2007 was updated earlier this year and the new Notice 2021 was officially implemented last month. Significant changes to the notice, including the provision of new modules such as the Additional Care Supplement, and modifications to payments for travel were detailed in the September 2021 issue of Midwife and can be viewed in full on the Ministry’s website.

Changes to the notice regarding interpreting services are detailed below:

DA2 Registration - (6) Where English is not the woman’s first language, information on the registration form about the services to be provided must be interpreted for the woman. This interpretation discussion must be documented in the woman’s record.

The guide to the notice clarifies that where a woman is not proficient in reading, writing or speaking English, the information on the registration form (where it is written in English) about the services to be provided must be interpreted for the woman. This means: • A woman who speaks English as a second

(third, fourth etc) language does not require an interpreter. • When interpretation is required, it is best practice to use a qualified interpreter, not a family member. Funded telephone interpreting services are being made available for LMC midwives to use via the

Ministry of Health. • If a woman declines the involvement of an interpreter, the midwife documents this and may still register the woman and provide care to the best of her ability with the level of communication possible. • If the midwife speaks the woman’s language fluently, the midwife can deliver care in that language and does not require an external interpreter. There is no specific funding available for midwives providing this additional service, however aspects of the Additional Care Supplement will apply, for example, if the woman is from one of the identified ethnic groups or is a former refugee, and/or if antenatal visits take more than 60 minutes on 2 or more occasions. square

andrea gilkison promoted to associate professor

The College congratulates Andrea Gilkison on her promotion to Associate Professor at AUT. As the current Associate Head of Postgraduate in AUT’s School of Clinical Sciences, Andrea is also the co-director of the university’s Centre for Midwifery and Women’s Health Research and her contribution to the field of midwifery

education and research over the years has been invaluable. Among many notable achievements, Andrea led the implementation of a narrative-centred curriculum within AUT’s undergraduate midwifery programme in 2005; an approach which continues to underpin the delivery of the programme today. Andrea’s own PhD explored teachers and students’ experiences of this implementation, and her other research interests extend to include sustainable midwifery practices and rural midwifery. As co-chair of the Trans-Tasman midwifery education consortium, and editor of the New Zealand College of Midwives Journal, Andrea's work has a ripple effect for the entire midwifery community, and the College wishes to acknowledge her dedication to the advancement of midwifery education and research both nationally and internationally. square

CELEBRATING DOCTORATES

Another two midwives have recently completed their doctorates despite the numerous challenges of working within the confines of a pandemic.

The College would like to congratulate the following midwives: Christine Mellor - Midwives and obstetricians experience of place in relation to supporting physiological birth (AUT) Lynn Chapman - Exploring student-teacher relational connectedness within midwifery education: A phenomenological inquiry (AUT). square

Associate Professor Andrea Gilkison

māmā aroha goes digital

Following the success of the Māmā Aroha breastfeeding talk cards, its digital companion – the Māmā Aroha phone app, has been launched. Designed to provide a more visually informative resource for midwives and other health professionals to use in assisting māmā and whānau to breastfeed for longer, the app is a collaboration between creator and midwife Amy Wray and Hāpai Te Hauora, New Zealand Breastfeeding Alliance, Mokopuna Ora and Kiwa Digital.

Midwives and whānau can download the free phone app through the App Store (Apple) or Google Play (Android). square

FINANCE COMMITTEE INDEPENDENT MEMBER: CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

The College’s Finance Committee consists of the President, Chief Executive (ex officio), three midwife representatives (each from a different College region), a consumer representative, plus one midwife College member, elected by membership for a three-year term. The College is now seeking nominations for the midwife member role. If more than one nomination is received, an online ballot will be undertaken.

The Finance Committee meets either face-to-face or via Zoom for up to two hours prior to each National Board meeting (three times per year).

The committee has delegated responsibility from the National Board to provide advice and make recommendations to management, in order to achieve the College’s strategic goals. Committee members contribute to the discussions to enable:

• Sound financial oversight • Consensus on any recommendations made to Chief Executive and/or National Board

• Informed strategic direction and advice • Accurate reporting back and/or approval seeking from National Board on major financial and/or strategic decisions • Support for the Chief Executive.

Nominations - including a cover letter and CV - to be emailed to lynda.o@nzcom.org.nz by 4 February 2022. square

christmas hours at the college

The College’s national office will close for the Christmas holidays on Friday 24 December at 12 noon, reopening on Wednesday 5 January. There will be arrangements in place for any midwife who needs urgent legal advice during this period. Telephone the office on (03) 377 2732 and a recorded message will have the relevant contact information.

Staff at the national office wish all members a happy and safe Christmas and New Year. square