European Midwifery Regulators Strengthen Co-operation At A Second Summit

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 26 Nov 2009 - 3:00 PST

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Working together to protect the wellbeing of women and babies was the aim of a summit of European midwifery regulators held in Brussels last week (20 November 2009).

Hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee, the event was designed to strengthen co-operation between European regulators of midwives with a view to improving the care provided to women using the services of midwives.

In May of this year, European midwifery regulators created an informal network, and agreed to share relevant information about national approaches to midwifery regulation and about relevant EU-level policy developments.

This second summit was organised jointly by the Ordre des Sages-Femmes de France (French Chamber of Midwives) and the NMC, the competent authorities for midwifery in France and the UK, and was attended by midwifery regulators from fifteen other European countries.

The event was also attended by representatives of the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Commission, and delegates were joined through video messages by four members of the European Parliament.

Issues discussed included the upcoming review of directive on the recognition of professional qualifications, which some delegates felt required updating to place greater emphasis on the interests of women and babies' health. The Summit also discussed the Green paper on the future of the European workforce for health.

During the meeting, delegates agreed to form two working groups to help develop the work of the network - one will look at internal communications and information exchange, the other will focus on policy and advocacy work.

Marie-Josee Keller, President of the National Council of the Ordre des sages-femmes who chaired the event, says:

"This second summit was a great success. We learned a great deal about the common issues which concern us at European level and about the structure of regulation in the various countries across Europe. Encouraged by representatives of the European Institutions, we were able to set the future direction of our co-operation."

Professor Jane Tunstill, Chair of the Midwifery Committee of the NMC, said:

"I am delighted at the progress this event has made in bringing midwifery regulators from across Europe together. The issues raised at the summit, such as the exchange of information about midwives' fitness to practise, are of direct relevance to the protection of women and babies and we must work together to get our messages heard at the highest level. For this reason I am heartened by the support and encouragement our network has received from members of the European Parliament and representatives of the European Commission who attended and contributed to this successful event."

A number of countries have now volunteered to host the third summit planned for the spring of next year.

Source
The Nursing & Midwifery Council