As a nurse and midwife, I know the professionalism and knowledge that we bring to our work in healthcare, and the full scope of clinical practice that we can offer to people in our care.
That’s why yesterday I was so excited when Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney introduced a Bill to Parliament that would remove the requirement for endorsed midwives and nurse practitioners to have a “collaborative arrangement” with a GP in order to carry out the full scope of their work under Medicare.
This will make a huge difference in regional and rural Australia, making health care more easily accessible.
It’s something we have been working toward for years. I was proud to be part of the inaugural rural post graduate program to educate nurse practitioners in Wangaratta fifteen years ago.
Yesterday I met with Helen White, CEO and Alison Weatherstone, Chief Midwife of the Australian College of Midwives to discuss what this will mean for midwives, nurse practitioners and most importantly our local communities.