Midwifery practice sits within the wider health system and regulatory context. From time to time, in response to new or updated legislation or other relevant policy settings, the College publishes statements or policies which support midwives in practice to meet their regulatory or professional responsibilities. Here you will find important updates from the wider health sector and policy documents that the College has produced to support quality midwifery practice which complies with legislative and regulatory requirements.
Policy documents and health sector updates
Practice updates
2024 Abortion Reversal Statement |
2024 Addition of iGAS as a notifiable diseaseNew requirements for management of notifiable invasive group A streptococcal infection (iGAS) which came into effect on 1 October 2024 |
2023 Prescribing updateThe Midwifery Council’s statement on prescribing controlled drugs |
2021 & 2022 Nitrate levels in drinking waterInformation about nitrate levels in drinking water and the potential risks for pregnant women and formula-fed babies. 21 July 2022 |
2020 Changes to the Abortion ActInformation for midwives about the Abortion Law Reform |
2019 Information sharingChanges to legislation came into effect on 1st July 2019 which were designed to support agencies working with families. For midwives, these Acts guide how information can be shared safely and appropriately to protect women and babies from harm. The College has reviewed the acts and identified how they may affect midwives. as health professionals working with families. The Ministry of Health developed a guide to support health practitioners. The guide is a practical tool to help health professionals decide whether and how to share information under the new provisions in the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 and the Family Violence Act 2018. It explains that registered health practitioners have duties under both Acts, and it sets out how health professionals and service providers are classified under each one. You can find more detailed information at:
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2018 Anticonvulsant medications in pregnancyDownload Antiepileptic medicines – advice for practitioners → eLearning – Pregnancy and anti-seizure medicines: Balancing risks and potential harms → |
2017 Conflict ResolutionMERAS and the New Zealand College of Midwives have jointly developed a resource on conflict resolution. |
Policies
2026 LMC Privacy StatementAs health agencies under the Health Information Privacy Code 2020, self-employed LMC midwives must take reasonable steps to make sure women and whānau know what health information they are collecting about the women / whānau they are caring for why it is being collected and who it may be shared with, and their rights to access and correct it. A privacy statement is the usual and most practical way to meet these obligations. This template is designed for self-employed Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) midwives in Aotearoa New Zealand to adapt for their own practice. Its purpose is to set out the legal obligations LMC midwives hold in relation to how they collect, use, store and share information about the women and whānau they are caring for. This document is informed by the Health Information Privacy Code 2020 and the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020. As providers of midwifery care, LMC midwives are considered ‘health agencies’ under the Health Information Privacy Code. Important note: This is a practical template, not legal advice. Each midwife or practice should tailor it to their own systems, electronic clinical records system, software, workforce arrangements, referral pathways, and method of obtaining consent, including any photography or filming practices. |
2021 Child Protection PolicyThe Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014 requires state-funded children’s workers to have a Child Protection Policy. This includes Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs) funded under Section 94 of the Pae Ora Act 2022. The New Zealand College of Midwives has developed this policy for its LMC members. Midwives using the policy should familiarise themselves with local agencies, referral pathways and contacts to support referrals, safety planning and child wellbeing. The policy appendices include space to record local agency contact details. Individual LMC midwives and practices may develop their own policies, provided they meet the applicable legislative requirements. Download the College Child Protection Policy → Related resource Read information on sharing information for tamariki wellbeing and safety → |
2017 Health and SafetyThe College’s health and safety policy for midwives. |