The Context and Consequences of Professional Indemnification of Home Birth Midwifery in Ireland

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colm OBoyle

PURPOSE: The indemnification of home birth midwifery practice is a concern internationally. This article reports on recent changes in the indemnification of home birth in Ireland. A background history of maternity services in Ireland is given. Home birth midwives’ own perspective on the withdrawal of trade union indemnification and the instigation of a means of state indemnification are offered. The notion and expectation of professional clinical indemnification is discussed using Eliot Freidson’s theoretical framework on professionalism.STUDY DESIGN: Indemnification is just one concern identified in an ethnography of independent midwifery in Ireland carried out between 2006 and 2009. Participant observation and interview supply data from the midwives themselves in that period. Documentary sources including health service reports and changes in Irish statute also form part of the ethnography and this article. Subsequent developments in what has been called a “national home birth service” are reported.MAJOR FINDINGS: Home birth midwives report that professional clinical indemnification is impossible to access on the open market. They are unwilling to practice without it, not least because legislation in the European Union and Ireland, requires that midwifery attendance at birth is “adequately insured.” The midwives feel that indemnification neither improves their practice nor guarantees good practice. They feel caught in a dilemma that they are now effectively criminalized if they attend any woman outside the narrow suitability criteria set by the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE).CONCLUSION: State indemnification of home birth midwifery practice now in place in Ireland is very positive. The nominally “national” home births service, however, is entirely dependent on a small number of self-employed community midwives. The service is therefore not available to all of those considered eligible. The home birth midwives report frustration at the exclusionary effect of tying their indemnification to narrow suitability criteria. Freidson’s conception of professionalism demonstrates how it is contingent on government and market forces. Midwives’ professional concern to be “with woman” is shown here also to be vulnerable to these competing external factors.

2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 104-106
Author(s):  
Rory O'Shea ◽  
Srikanth Nimmagadda

This article discusses the history of clinical attachments in psychiatry and recent changes in this area, including work permit regulations, which can make it increasingly difficult to obtain an attachment. The advantages and disadvantages of clinical attachments are considered for both the clinical attache and the UK health service. Good practice points for clinical attaches and their supervisors are presented. The future of the scheme is discussed and potential solutions to difficulties are suggested.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen Kenny ◽  
Colm OBoyle

PURPOSE: The home birth rate in Ireland is less than 0.5%. There is no formal record of the demand for home birth; however, it is suggested that it exceeds availability by as much as tenfold. This study sought the experiences of women who had tried but were unsuccessful in securing a midwife-attended, planned home birth in Ireland in the years 2009–2013.STUDY DESIGN: An online questionnaire was made available over an 8-week period in the summer of 2013.RESULTS: Sixty-two women responded. Three main reasons were identified for refusal of home birth: “unsuitability for home birth,” “unavailability of a midwife,” and “distance from the midwife.” The Dublin regions’ high level of unmet demand is consistent with its high population density. December and other holiday periods were reported as particularly difficult times to access a midwife. Eighty percent of women eventually gave birth in a hospital setting, whereas 15% gave birth outside a hospital setting without a midwife in attendance. Five percent of women accessed a planned home birth elsewhere.DISCUSSION: Online survey is a methodology that is unable to quantify unmet demand for home birth. This exploratory study has however confirmed the inequity of the home birth service, even for those fully eligible. The choice made by some multiparous women to birth at home unattended, even in the knowledge of risk criteria, is a concern and remains unaddressed by the Irish Health Service Executive.CONCLUSION: Health Service Executive dependence on self-employed community midwives (SECMs) to deliver their “national” home birth service means that demand for home birth is greater than can be supplied. This research highlights the need for the inclusion of requests for home birth in their audit of services. Capacity building of community midwifery in Ireland is recommended, with recruitment and support of SECMs identified as a priority.


Author(s):  
Chris Himsworth

The first critical study of the 1985 international treaty that guarantees the status of local self-government (local autonomy). Chris Himsworth analyses the text of the 1985 European Charter of Local Self-Government and its Additional Protocol; traces the Charter’s historical emergence; and explains how it has been applied and interpreted, especially in a process of monitoring/treaty enforcement by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities but also in domestic courts, throughout Europe. Locating the Charter’s own history within the broader recent history of the Council of Europe and the European Union, the book closes with an assessment of the Charter’s future prospects.


Author(s):  
Johann P. Arnason

Different understandings of European integration, its background and present problems are represented in this book, but they share an emphasis on historical processes, geopolitical dynamics and regional diversity. The introduction surveys approaches to the question of European continuities and discontinuities, before going on to an overview of chapters. The following three contributions deal with long-term perspectives, including the question of Europe as a civilisational entity, the civilisational crisis of the twentieth century, marked by wars and totalitarian regimes, and a comparison of the European Union with the Habsburg Empire, with particular emphasis on similar crisis symptoms. The next three chapters discuss various aspects and contexts of the present crisis. Reflections on the Brexit controversy throw light on a longer history of intra-Union rivalry, enduring disputes and changing external conditions. An analysis of efforts to strengthen the EU’s legal and constitutional framework, and of resistances to them, highlights the unfinished agenda of integration. A closer look at the much-disputed Islamic presence in Europe suggests that an interdependent radicalization of Islamism and the European extreme right is a major factor in current political developments. Three concluding chapters adopt specific regional perspectives. Central and Eastern European countries, especially Poland, are following a path that leads to conflicts with dominant orientations of the EU, but this also raises questions about Europe’s future. The record of Scandinavian policies in relation to Europe exemplifies more general problems faced by peripheral regions. Finally, growing dissonances and divergences within the EU may strengthen the case for Eurasian perspectives.


Author(s):  
Felix S. Kireev

Boris Alexandrovich Galaev is known as an outstanding composer, folklorist, conductor, educator, musical and public figure. He has a great merit in the development of musical culture in South Ossetia. All the musical activity of B.A. Galaev is studied and analyzed in detail. In most of the biographies of B.A. Galaev about his participation in the First World War, there is only one proposal that he served in the army and was a bandmaster. For the first time in historiography the participation of B.A. Galaev is analyzed, and it is found out what positions he held, what awards he received, in which battles he participated. Based on the identified documentary sources, for the first time in historiography, it occured that B.A. Galaev was an active participant in the First World War on the Caucasian Front. He went on attacks, both on foot and horse formation, was in reconnaissance, maintained communication between units, received military awards. During this period, he did not have time to study his favorite music, since, according to the documents, he was constantly at the front, in the battle formations of the advanced units. He had to forget all this heroic past and tried not to mention it ever after. Therefore, this period of his life was not studied by the researchers of his biography. For writing this work, the author uses the Highest Orders on the Ranks of the Military and the materials of the Russian State Military Historical Archive (RSMHA).


2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devrimi Kaya ◽  
Robert J. Kirsch ◽  
Klaus Henselmann

This paper analyzes the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as intermediaries in encouraging the European Union (EU) to adopt International Accounting Standards (IAS). Our analysis begins with the 1973 founding of the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC), and ends with 2002 when the binding EU regulation was approved. We document the many pathways of interaction between European supranational, governmental bodies and the IASC/IASB, as well as important regional NGOs, such as the Union Européenne des Experts Comptables, Économiques et Financiers (UEC), the Groupe d'Etudes des Experts Comptables de la Communauté Économique Européenne (Groupe d'Etudes), and their successor, the Fédération des Experts Comptables Européens (FEE). This study investigates, through personal interviews of key individuals involved in making the history of the organizations studied, and an extensive set of primary sources, how NGOs filled key roles in the process of harmonization of international accounting standards.


2004 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-320
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Hetzer

AbstractThe imminent entry of ten countries into the European Union is one of the greatest success stories in the contemporary history of the continent. Following the devastation of the Second World War and the political and economic paralysis during the ‘Cold War’ period the future holds promise of development opportunities of historical significance for twenty-five Member States. It must not be overlooked, however, that, due to the still prevalent differences in living standards, in income ratios and in administrative structures, the process of economic approximation is also not without risks. Among these is the tendency towards corruption. The expansion of the European Union can only succeed economically and politically if the dangers associated with corruption are minimized by far-sighted legislation and consistent implementation measures throughout Europe. This is true not only with respect to the new Member States.


2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 701-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Nielsen

Writing the history of a continent is generally a tricky business. If the continent is not even a real continent, but rather ‘a western peninsula of Asia’ (Alexander von Humboldt) without a clear definition of where the continent becomes peninsula, things do not get any easier. Despite these problems there is no dearth of trying. In fact, writing European histories seems to become more fashionable by the year — ironically just as the political and institutional expansion of Europe is losing steam. While the European Union is catching its breath, the historians are catching up. With the first wave of post-Euro and post-big-bang-Enlargement literature written, it is time for the reviewer to survey the landscape — and to provide some guideposts for future exploration.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Stratilová Urválková ◽  
Svatava Janoušková

AbstractThe European Union has been facing common issues such as early school leaving and lifelong learning for years. They are main targets that remain on the EU agenda and all good practice examples are welcome. Citizen science is one of the approaches that seems to have great potential to draw a wide group of people to science in a popular way. People can easily become a part of a scientific team and contribute to research that could hardly be carried out by one small team. Many citizen science researchers deal with issues that are attractive for people because of their usefulness or application (gathering ticks, taking photographs of surroundings) and/or because of the accessibility of the data (typical for biological issues). This aspect also supports bridging the gap between citizens-amateurs and scientists-professionals, as well as lifelong learning. Chemistry is a natural science subject that is rarely performed in citizen science, and little research is devoted to the educational aspect of citizen science projects. Therefore, we present here a brief overview of an increasing scientific design that is widely used in natural science, although rarely in chemistry. Citizen science seems to be a potentially useful tool for improving chemistry education.


Author(s):  
Julia Wesely ◽  
Adriana Allen ◽  
Lorena Zárate ◽  
María Silvia Emanuelli

Re-thinking dominant epistemological assumptions of the urban in the global South implies recognising the role of grassroots networks in challenging epistemic injustices through the co-production of multiple saberes and haceres for more just and inclusive cities. This paper examines the pedagogies of such networks by focusing on the experiences nurtured within Habitat International Coalition in Latin America (HIC-AL), identified as a ‘School of Grassroots Urbanism’ (Escuela de Urbanismo Popular). Although HIC-AL follows foremost activist rather than educational objectives, members of HIC-AL identify and value their practices as a ‘School’, whose diverse pedagogic logics and epistemological arguments are examined in this paper. The analysis builds upon a series of in-depth interviews, document reviews and participant observation with HIC-AL member organisations and allied grassroots networks. The discussion explores how the values and principles emanating from a long history of popular education and popular urbanism in the region are articulated through situated pedagogies of resistance and transformation, which in turn enable generative learning from and for the social production of habitat.


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