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Help us save independent midwifery!


We need your donations to fund a legal challenge against the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) ruling, which prevents independent midwives in the UK from continuing their much needed work and helping hundreds of women to give birth safely every year.


On the 17th March 2017, individual members of IMUK and a member of the public have filed legal proceedings against the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). In December 2016, the NMC ruled that IMUK’s indemnity scheme was ‘inappropriate’ despite two independent insurance actuaries deeming it sufficient. IMUK repeatedly asked the NMC for clarification as to what an ‘appropriate’ level of cover was but the NMC refused to supply this information. The NMC gave IMUK members only three weeks to make other arrangements for their clients, as a consequence over 100 women were unable to continue with their trusted midwife.
The impact of this ruling extends far beyond IMUK members and their clients. It undermines and threatens the entire midwifery profession and the rights of women to choose how they give birth. Without this legal challenge, Independent Midwifery is likely to be lost for ever.

Who are we?
Independent Midwives UK (IMUK) is a membership organisation for self-employed midwives who provide maternity services for women throughout their pregnancy, birth and postnatal period. Selfemployed midwives are trained to exactly the same standards as NHS midwives, are required to be registered with the NMC, and work to support women with the very best evidence-based care on a one-to-one basis. Our clients are people from all backgrounds who want to choose their maternity care provider and ensure continuity of care throughout their pregnancy.

We believe in choice - choice for women and choice for midwives. Women should have the right to choose the care they receive just as midwives should have the right to work independently, like all healthcare professionals.

The NMC’s decision has prevented IMUK midwives from attending births and has denied many women access to care and support they need at this vital time in their lives. The NMC has chosen to ignore information about our indemnity scheme and has, by their own admittance, not examined our catastrophic event modelling - an important actuarial tool to assess the financial robustness of the product.

Their decision is not based on evidence, nor on our previous safety record. We have never received a complaint regarding our indemnity scheme from either a client or another midwife.

How can you help?
The claimants have made an application for legal aid to cover the considerable costs of this Judicial Review. However until this is granted we need to build up funds to cover costs.


Please donate and share as much as you can!

Any donations that are not needed for the court case will be donated to the charity "Birthrights" to support their fantastic work.
Help spread the word!

Donations 

  • Roxy Eastland
    • £10 
    • 6 yrs

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Independent Midwife
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