MERAS Midwifery Staffing Standards for Maternity Facilities July 2010

In November 2009 MERAS with the New Zealand College of Midwives developed a discussion document on Midwifery Staffing Standards for Maternity Facilities. Subsequent feedback from MERAS and NZCOM members and consultation with DHB midwifery leaders has occurred. The enclosed document and these standards represent the culmination of these discussions to this point.

1.  All women, regardless of where or how they are labouring and birthing, require at least one to one midwifery care. 

2.  Midwifery staffing must be set at levels to support 24 hour seven day care.

3.  The birthing suite and/or maternity service in a secondary/tertiary maternity hospital provide an acute service operating 24 hours a day seven days a week.  The midwife coordinating this service shall be supernumerary and in a recognised, named leadership midwifery position.

4.  Maternity Facilities are staffed by core midwives who provide support for the care of women in collaboration with the woman’s Lead Maternity Carer.

5.  Midwives are not employed to undertake administrative and hotel support staff tasks. All maternity units should employ sufficient ancillary staff to support the work of midwives.

6.  Employed midwife caseloads reflect urban (1 midwife: 45-50 women) and rural (1:35-40) environments, and complex needs (max 40 women)

7.  Maternity units have mechanisms in place to support midwives to progress through the Quality and Leadership Programme (QLP)

8.  Midwifery professional leadership roles are established and supported in District Health Boards.

MERAS is in discussions with DHBNZ regarding how these standards fit with the work of the DHBNZ Safe Staffing Unit. We are open to refining these standards as a result of this and other discussions.

The MERAS MECA is available through the following link Midwifery Staffing Standards for Maternity Facilities July 2010