2 February 2026

Tēnā koutou midwives,

The College is pleased to share important developments that further strengthen the ability of Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) midwives to offer safe, equitable, midwifery-led immunisation services across Aotearoa.

In August 2025, we announced that, Health New Zealand ǀ Te Whatu Ora has contracted the Midwifery and Maternity Providers Organisation (MMPO) to implement, maintain and support a national administration and payment system for any LMC midwives who choose to provide this service.

The Midwifery Council confirmed in December 2025 that the 2024 and 2026 Midwifery Scope of Practice (coming into effect on 1 February) both allow for the expansion of midwifery practice. This enables all midwives, with the appropriate education and ongoing evidence of competence, to administer vaccines during pregnancy and to infants up to 12 months of age or where immunisation of whānau members would have a beneficial impact on perinatal-related care and health. We are pleased to inform midwives of an expansion in the range of vaccines that LMCs can now be paid for administering.

LMC midwives can claim payment for eligible vaccines, when they meet the requirements of the Midwifery Council’s Expanded Practice policy.

LMC midwives can also access an education payment on completion of an additional IMAC e-learning course Midwives immunisation expanded practice required for administering expanded practice immunisations.

The Midwifery and Maternity Providers Organisation (MMPO) will continue to administer funding for LMC administration of any eligible vaccinations that meet Expanded Practice parameters.

Details on LMC immunisation administration funding

• Eligibility: LMC Midwives who claim under the Notice can claim additional vaccine administration payments via MMPO. LMCs who complete the IMAC Maternal Immunisation Essentials course can be reimbursed $250 for their time to complete the education. LMCs intending to offer expanded practice vaccines can also apply for a $250 education payment upon completion of the IMAC Midwives immunisation expanded practice LMCs can also apply for funding to support cold-chain establishment.
• Support available: Onboarding, education, and cold-chain support will continue to be provided by MMPO, Immunisation Coordinators, and Health NZ national and regional teams.
• Public health impact: This initiative aims to boost antenatal, childhood and whānau immunisation rates and respond to the pertussis and measles outbreaks.

Midwifery Council’s requirements and expectations regarding expanded practice

• The declaration that midwives are required to submit during their application for an Annual Practising Certificate will require midwives to declare if they have expanded their practice.
• The declaration will ask for a description of the expanded practice and whether the midwife had undertaken the required education and is maintaining ongoing competency.
• Council expects midwives to retain evidence of continuing competence in that area of expanded practice and record it in their online Midwifery Council MyMCANZ CPD tab.
• Midwives enrolled in a new graduate programme, or those undertaking competence programmes as a condition on their Scope of Practice, for example, an Overseas Competence Programme, are advised not to provide expanded practice activities until they have completed their Council approved programme.
• Midwives undergoing Competence Programmes relating to fitness to practise are advised to discuss any areas of expanded practice with the Midwifery Council.

The Council’s website has details on the Midwifery Scope of Practice (2026) and Expanded Practice.

Midwives are advised to fully understand the Council’s Expanded Practice policy. Full information about expanded practice vaccines is included in the IMAC Midwives immunisation expanded practice e-learning course and workbook. Any further questions about which vaccines midwives can administer as part of expanded practice can be directed to the Council.

Professional indemnity insurance cover

Expanded practice within the midwifery scope is covered by the College’s professional indemnity insurance policy, provided that:

• the midwife meets the Council’s expanded practice requirements; and
• the midwife’s College membership is current.

For details, please see the Professional Indemnity Insurance section of the College’s FAQ.

How to get involved and next steps

If you would like to start offering vaccinations as part of your midwifery care, or are already offering immunisations, please refer to the MMPO website. The MMPO team are ready to support you through each step.

The midwifery role in relation to antenatal immunisation

Not all midwives will choose to offer vaccines directly, and that is fully supported. But every midwife plays a vital role in sharing consistent, accurate, and culturally safe information with wāhine hapū and whānau, including:

• The safety and effectiveness of immunisation
• Which vaccinations are recommended and when (including antenatal Tdap from 16 weeks, flu, COVID-19 and infant vaccines)
• Where to access vaccines if not offering them directly (midwife colleague, GP, pharmacy, hospital clinic)
• How vaccination protects pēpi, pregnant women and the wider whānau.

This new milestone which recognises and supports midwives as immunisers progresses the opportunity to close the equity gap for hapū māmā, pēpi and whānau across Aotearoa.