The Midwifery Council

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Midwifery Competence

The Midwifery Council is responsible for ensuring that midwives in New Zealand are competent to practise so that the public of New Zealand can be assured of a certain level of care from midwives.

Midwives will have their competence assessed a number of times:

upon registration as a midwife in New Zealand
upon each application for an Annual Practising Certificate
upon return to practice after an absence of three or more years
at any other time on the decision of the Midwifery Council as a result of a notification of concern about a midwife's competence

The Midwifery Council sets the standards for competence. The first 'Competencies for Entry to the Register of Midwives' were established in July 2004 and in 2007 they were revised to include Turanga Kaupapa. The Midwifery Council has also clarified the relationship between the Midwifery Scope of Practice and the Competencies for Entry to the Register of Midwives.

The Midwifery Council's Registration Policies set out how competence is assessed for registration.

Once registered, midwives are required to participate in the Midwifery Council's Recertification Programme in order to demonstrate that they remain competent to practise and can obtain an Annual Practising Certificate.

The Midwifery Council has policy on requirements for midwives who are returning to practice after an absence of three or more years. Under HPCAA (2003) these midwives have to demonstrate their competence to practise before being issued with a Midwifery Practising Certificate.

From time to time questions may be raised about a midwife's competence, either by notification from someone outside of the Council, or through the Council's Recertification Programme. In these situations the Council may decide to carry out a Competence Review of the midwife. The Council has policy for carrying out Competence Reviews.

As a result of a Competence Review or at the direction of the Council a midwife may be required to complete a Competence Programme. These are individual programmes designed to meet the identified needs of the individual midwife in order to bring her practise to the appropriate level of competence.