Request for an increase in midwifery privileges at Ottawa hospitals and other supports
Dear Dr. Mark Walker, Dr. Virginia Roth and Mr. Cameron Love,
In April of 2018, I had a baby who was delivered by my phenomenal midwifes at the Community Midwives of Ottawa. The tremendously positive care experience I enjoyed during and after my child’s birth has made me a strong advocate and supporter of midwifery services here in Ottawa and beyond.
As a midwifery client, I would like to advocate for the expansion of midwifery services in Ottawa’s hospitals and other needed expansions for accessing midwifery care in our community. I am troubled to know that there are people currently on waitlists for midwifery care who will not be able to have a midwife due to restrictions on midwifery hospital privileges. These restrictions obviously impact choice of birthplace, as well as choice of care provider, for countless women and families, needlessly limiting the range of quality birth experiences to which they should rightfully have access.
CMNRP recently released a Capacity Plan outlining the needs of our community and identified that “given women in the region requested increased access to midwifery services, midwifery privileging processes at each hospital should be reviewed and opportunities to increase the number of midwifery supported births at OBWC should be explored.” You can consult the report here: http://www.cmnrp.ca/en/cmnrp/Capacity_Plan_Final_Report_2019_p4924.html
I am glad to join my voice with a chorus of others to draw your attention to this important concern. We need a reassessment of midwifery privileges at Ottawa hospitals and beyond so that more midwives can be hired, and more clients can access midwifery care.
I look forward to hearing from you on this important issue.
Sincerely,
Karen Hébert
Assistant Professor
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies
Carleton University
Loeb Building A325
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6
karen.hebert@carleton.ca