Planned change will add public representation to Midwifery Council
The New Brunswick government has highlighted the recent introduction of Bill No. 25, An Act to Amend the Midwifery Act, which proposes to expand the scope of practice for midwives and support the training of student midwives in the province.
“Expanding midwifery services in New Brunswick remains a key priority for our government,” said John Dornan, New Brunswick’s health minister and the bill’s sponsor, in a news release.
The provincial government explained that the intended amendments to the Midwifery Act, 2008, will broaden the role of midwives by allowing them to offer a wider range of services, including caring for, assessing, and monitoring individuals throughout their childbearing years.
“Midwives play an essential role in supporting people through pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period, offering safe, high-quality, compassionate care every step of the way,” Dornan said in the news release.
The New Brunswick government noted that the contemplated changes will permit midwifery students, who are presently unable to practise in the province’s healthcare system, to gain supervised clinical experience in New Brunswick.
According to the bill’s current text as of the first reading stage, s. 2(4) of the Midwifery Act, if amended, would enable student midwives to provide healthcare services within their program of study under the direct supervision of a midwife registered in the active practice register.
Meanwhile, s. 21 of the Midwifery Act, if amended, would allow an applicant to request the entry of their name into the student register upon providing the registrar with the evidence required to establish their:
- enrollment in a midwifery program at an approved school of midwives
- compliance with any registration requirements as determined by the registrar
Dornan shared that the province’s planned amendments aim to help midwives meet communities’ needs, align midwifery practice with other provinces, promote the growth of the workforce, and advance access to care for families.
Update to regulator
In its news release, the New Brunswick government explained that the proposed legislation will also adjust the size and composition of the Midwifery Council of New Brunswick by including one to four members of the public who have never practised midwifery.
“As the regulator, our job is to protect the public,” said Kandise Brown, the council’s executive director and registrar, in the news release.
The provincial government noted that the bill seeks to strengthen public representation in the regulator while ensuring it maintains the expertise needed to regulate the profession effectively.
“Updating the Midwifery Act helps ensure midwives can do the job they’re trained to do while strengthening public oversight and expanding care options for New Brunswickers,” Brown said in the news release.
