This notice is given pursuant to sections 11 and 12 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (“Act”) and comes into effect on 1 October 2024.

This notice replaces all previous Midwifery (Scope of Practice and qualifications) Notices.

Scope of Practice of a Midwife

Pursuant to section 11 of the Act, the Midwifery Council specifies the Midwifery Scope of Practice as follows:

1. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is embedded in the practice of a kahu pōkai | midwife in Aotearoa New Zealand.
2. The kahu pōkai | midwife is responsible for providing culturally and clinically safe care, in any setting, for women /persons and whānau who are planning a pregnancy, pregnant, birthing, and postnatal.
3. The kahu pōkai | midwife values mātauranga Māori and other worldviews to provide safe kahu pōkai | midwifery care that promotes the health and wellbeing of women/persons, babies and whānau.
4. The kahu pōkai | midwife draws upon cultural and clinical ways of knowing, with effective communication skills, to assess, diagnose, plan, provide and evaluate care. Where clinically indicated, and with the appropriate education, the kahu pōkai |midwife prescribes treatments and medicines.
5. Fundamental to a kahu pōkai | midwife’s tikanga, expertise and knowledge is the understanding, promotion, and facilitation of the physiological processes that support wellbeing and the recognition of complexity.
6. The kahu pōkai | midwife consults and collaborates effectively with women/persons whānau, other kahu pōkai | midwives, and relevant health and social services, making timely referrals when appropriate and implementing emergency care when necessary.
7. The tikanga / quality and safety of midwifery care is supported through seeking whānau feedback, cultural safety, continuity of care, and effective interprofessional relationships, including tikanga ako / practice. It is also upheld through the kahu pōkai | midwife’s engagement with health care safe systems, evidence-based practice, reflective practice, ongoing education and professional development.
8. The kahu pōkai | midwife develops the knowledge, skills and cultural expertise to be responsive to meeting the varied health needs of women/persons, babies and whānau. The kahu pōkai | midwife may expand tikanga ako / midwifery practice by undertaking relevant education and gaining expertise, including in wider sexual and reproductive health and infant health care.
9. The kahu pōkai | midwife is involved in the advancement of midwifery from multiple perspectives through education, research, management, quality and safety, regulation and leadership.

The primary obligation of kāhu pokai | Midwives is to wāhine hapū / pregnant person and pēpē / baby. For the purpose of this Scope of Practice, specified under section 11 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, Whānau refers to the wāhine hapū / pregnant person and, pēpē / baby in their social context, enabling care as it relates to pre-conceptual care, pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care.

Qualifications Prescribed for Registration in the Midwifery Scope of Practice

Pursuant to section 12 of the Act, the following qualifications are prescribed for registration as a midwife:

1. New Zealand midwifery graduates
1. completion of an approved Bachelor degree in midwifery (minimum of three years duration) provided by an
2. accredited educational provider in New Zealand; and
3. demonstration of the Competencies for Entry to the Register of Midwives; and
4. a pass in the National Midwifery Examination set by the Midwifery Council.

2. Registered midwives applying from all other countries
1. a midwifery qualification, post registration practise in midwifery, post registration midwifery education and midwifery competence portfolio, which, considered as a whole, are deemed by the Midwifery Council as equivalent in content and competencies to the current New Zealand qualifications for registration; and
2. current or past registration as a midwife with a midwifery registration authority in the same country of registration as where that midwife’s initial qualification was completed.

As part of its consideration under paragraph 2(a), and prior to making a decision, the Midwifery Council may, in addition, require an applicant to:

1. attain a pass in an examination set by the Midwifery Council; and/or
2. attain a pass in a clinical assessment specified by the Midwifery Council.

Dated at Wellington this 8th day of April 2024.

KERRY ADAMS, Chairperson, Midwifery Council.

KILEY CLARK, Deputy Chairperson, Midwifery Council.