Alison Eddy
Morning Report Essentials for Tuesday 15 April 2025
In today's episode, the government has directed Health New Zealand to use the term 'pregnant woman' instead of 'pregnant people', the President of El Salvador has met with Donald Trump in the White… Audio
NZ College of Midwives on directive to use 'pregnant women'
Associate Health Minister Casey Costello has issued a directive to Health New Zealand to use the term "pregnant women" instead of "pregnant people" in its health communications. New Zealand College of… Audio
Post-natal care bill 'very odd', midwives say
A new bill extending post-natal care at hospital, from two days to three, is being labelled as "very odd" by the professional body of midwives. Meanwhile, an organisation supporting families with… Audio
Uneven maternity care across Aotearoa
Despite a model based on choice, New Zealanders options for birth are limited based on post code. Audio
Concerns birthing unit closure delivers fewer choices
As the due date for the closure of the birthing units at Auckland's Birthcare facility looms, are women in the middle of our biggest city being short-changed on their birth options? Audio
College of Midwives led class action case against Ministry of Health begins
A long-anticipated class action case brought by nearly 1,500 midwives against the Ministry of Health begins in Wellington on Monday. College of Midwives chief executive Alison Eddy spoke to Corin… Audio
Waihi birthing facility closes
New mums in Waihi will have to travel further to give birth in busy hospitals as another birthing suite is forced to shut shop.
Rural NGO's across the country are under immense pressure to match the… Audio
Midwives take government to court over pay and conditions
Midwives are taking legal action against the government over fair pay and conditions - again. The College of Midwives has this morning filed a class action in the High Court against the Ministry of… Audio
Midwives want government investment in staff training
Midwives are also calling for the government to urgently invest in staff training and recruitment now that Australia is injecting billions of dollars to entice overseas health workers.
This comes as… Audio
Midwives back calls for pregnant NZers to get MIQ spots
There are growing calls to prioritise MIQ spots and home isolation for pregnant New Zealanders wanting to come home.
It comes as the lawyer for pregnant journalist Charlotte Bellis plans to take her… Audio
Covid-19: Hospitals working to convince unvaccinated staff to get jabbed
Hospitals are holding one-on-one interviews with vaccine hold-outs in the hope it can persuade them to get a jab before they lose their job.
Any DHB employee who hasn't had a first vaccine dose will… Audio
Covid-19: Ministry of Health won't release data on unvaccinated pregnant people
The College of Midwives wants the government to record Covid vaccinations among pregnant people.
The Ministry of Health is not budging, citing "privacy reasons" to RNZ.
Sam Olley reports. Audio
Midwives welcome ACC cover for maternal birth injuries
Midwives are welcoming more ACC cover for maternal birth injuries.
Proposed changes announced today will make up to 18,000 women a year who sustain birth injuries eligible for ACC cover.
Māni Dunlop… Audio
Covid-19: Midwives change care under alert level 4
Alert level 4 has changed the way pregnant people are able to be cared for by midwives.
Like many workforces during Covid-19, the midwifery workforce is stretched and adjustments have had to be made.
…Midwives hampered by delay in police clearances
Delays in getting police clearances are forcing independent midwives to work weeks on end without pay, or not work at all, until they're approved. The New Zealand College of Midwives is hearing… Audio
Midwives want change from ACC over birth tears
Midwives are calling on ACC to reconsider a contentious adjustment regarding cover for painful perineal tears during childbirth.
Perineal tears are the most common type of birth injury, but ACC… Audio
NZ records lowest-ever fertility rate
New Zealand has just recorded its lowest-ever fertility rate.
The latest quarterly data from Statistics New Zealand shows the ratio of births to the number of women of child-bearing age is now 1.63.
…Community health care gets short-term funding injection
An injection of money into cash-strapped community health care services is expected to cover most of the immediate extra costs from Covid-19 but anxiety over long-term funding remains.
More than $92… Audio
Cash injection not enough for midwives
Midwives say a $2500 cash injection for each worker to help cover their lockdown costs isn't going to cut it. .
More than $92 million will go into essential health services that financially suffered… Audio
Midwives receive "radio silence" from Government over funding concerns
The College of Midwives says their sector is feeling frustrated and perplexed by the lack of any funding - or any real mention of their sector - in last week's Budget.
The chief Executive of the… Audio
