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Inexperienced and new midwives being handed more complex and high risk cases according to report

April 19, 2018

College of Midwives CEO Karen Guilliland says lack of government funding has contributed to the problem.

A new report is out which says more inexperienced and new midwives are being handed the more complex and high risk cases.

The College of Midwives CEO, Karen Guilliland told TVNZ1's Breakfast that a long neglect of the maternal new born health system and the seriously underfunded hospitals has contributed to the problem. 

Ms Guilliland says, there is a shortage of midwives which doesn't give a lot of options to choose from.

"When you don't have enough midwives the experienced midwives are fully booked so the new midwives come into the service and they take on the women that are wanting to have a midwife."

Ms Guilliland says there's no concern about the new midwives looking after complex cases as the outcomes are really good.

What they are asking of the Government and the District Health Boards for is more support systems around the new practitioners.

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