A letter to the MOH on behalf of midwives.

I am writing to draw your attention to the working conditions for our midwives.

Midwives in NZ are absolutely on their knees. They are not paid fairly, and continue to provide on call, autonomous, life-saving/preserving care to pregnant and birthing people and their babies, in NZ.

With the new gazetted Section 88, this is really under threat. Rather than the perpetually promised pay increase, many have received a pay cut - in that they are no longer funded for aspects of care i.e travel to many rural areas. For those of us that live rurally - this time is so scary. It is hard enough to find a midwife at the moment, and being made even harder for many more now that midwives have lost that funding. They have had no rise to reflect inflation (cost of gas, clinic rent etc) and are now receiving even less. As you know, they are not remunerated for public holidays at all. They are not remunerated for working extra hours at births, overtime or night work.

Pregnant and birthing people of NZ categorically do not want a NHS like system, and it would be a sad, sad day in NZ if we lost LMC midwifery and moved to fragmented, hospital based care.

I urge you to please hear what we are saying and pay midwives fairly. Please urgently review Section 88 and make the changes that were recommended to you by the midwives in NZ, and the experts who worked on the co-design and fair pay recommendations that the MOH has so far, ignored.

Regards,