I received fantastic care from my independent midwives of Yorkshire Storks and had two very gentle homebirths.
Had anything gone wrong and my baby had died or his health been compromised no amount of monetary compensation would have been any use. I chose to employ an independent midwife in full knowledge that she was uninsured. My faith in her was entirely justified.
I bet many women will now go ahead and have unassisted births if IMs are forbidden to practise rather than put themselves into the hands of the hospital system.

barbara higham, Ilkley, UK

I have run the largest private midwifery practice in the UK for 21 years. Out of those years we have been insured for 16 years and uninsured for 5 years. All insurance companies are determined to pay out nothing or as little as possible and medical insurers providing PII for midwives are no different. So they try to pay out nothing - the woman becomes more and more angry and upset, the insurer tells the midwives "Don't say sorry, don't apologize" . Finally the woman takes the midwives to court - the insurers end up paying out hundreds of thousands of pounds. The woman remains angry and traumatised. Without insurance we are in control. I go and see the woman - apologise profusely and get her to see the relevant colo-rectal surgeon. We pay for her to go to hospital and have a repair - result - healed woman pleased with our service, happy midwives and expensive case deflected - the only losers are the lawyers!

Caroline Flint, London, UK

Of course independent midwives declare to their clients regarding the lack of insurance. The work that is done is about giving a person the facts so that they have an informed choice. We are proffessionals who are trying to give women and families the oppourtunity to have the very best care, that it is possible to give. I feel that I was not able to do this in the NHS due to lack of midwives, time constraints and resources. If I could have worked the way I am working now, which is giving continuity of care and being a support, giving informed choice and being an advocate for women during their antenatal, labour, and postnatal care the way I give it now I would still be in the NHS. I feel that if left, Indepedant Midwives would be providing an additional support to the NHS and allow women to make choices after all is this not what the Goverment are advocating for women.
(proud to be a Independent Midwife and a support to women and a families choice)

Julyette, London,

As I see it having insurance does not make the birth safer for the mother or baby
and it says in the item that they discuss it with e clients verbally and it is presented in writing. Also these midwives do not want to practice without, the IndependeMidwives Associateion has worked tirelessly since 1994, when The Royal College of Midwives pulled it without warning, to set up insurance but to date none has been
found. They have not broken the law and the demand for private midwives is growing all the time. Statistically it is safer to have a baby with an independent midwife tahn in the NHS even though they tend to have more woman with high risk factors.

Elaine Batchelor, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

I cannot believe in this day and age any professional goes out to work without insurance cover. How do they sleep at night? Do they declare it to their clients?

Elizabeth , Harrogate,

Thanks for giving this issue such thoughtful coverage. Sadly you chose the description 'private' midwife throughout - I would like to stress that most INDEPENDENT Midwives choose to work in this way because they value autonomy and want to ensure autonomy for their clients. Unlike some of our medical colleagues we don't choose this way to enhance our income. I myself have been an Independent Midwife for 7 years and I am struck by the support we are receiving from clients, ex-clients and members of the public. How we are born and how we give birth matters a great deal! It shocks me that the Government are cutting spending in the already overstretched maternity services
- we are still nearly 10 000 midwives short and seem to have no hesitation to eliminate another 200.

Elke Heckel, London,

As an independent midwife I am concerned that women will be bullied and frightened into making decisions that fit the system and not themselves if there is no other alternative to NHS midwifery care. Only 2 days ago, I supported a client who happened to have a breech baby to have a home birth. The NHS could only offer a caesarian section having failed to turn the baby. There are many other examples of clients that have booked independent care because the NHS does not always have the skill base, or confidence to support these women. The choices available to women are trivial. 'Soft furnishings, music and aromatherapy' insult women's intelligence when there are major decisions to be made. Independent midwives, if insured, could offer many services with the support of the NHS and truly offer women choices that are relevent.

Lynn G Walcott, Hemel Hempstead, England