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Using consumer power!

Reading about the various launching events for the NMAP on the ozmid list today has once again illustrated for me that consumers of maternity services have very powerful voices when it comes to achieving change. Of course, I have "come up through the ranks" of consumers myself and now work with maternity care providers, so I have a foot in both camps, so to speak.

When midwives complain that they having trouble getting a policy changed, or some new equipment, or even saving their unit from being closed down, I always ask if they have contacted the women whom they serve and asked them for help. There are many ways that consumers can challenge the system and get changes made from the outside that would be impossible for midwives to undertake from the inside.

Consumers these days also bring a number of potentially useful skills to their cause. With the average age of women having first baby now standing at just under 30 years, it means that these women have more education and life skills, and are also better equipped (i.e. experienced) at tackling authority figures, speaking in public, getting organised, finding resources etc.

Of course, many women don't know the problems being faced by midwives. Therefore, if you need help you will have to ask and provide background details before they can take up your cause. Multips are often the best bet - they are at home with children and are used to juggling a number of tasks at once. They are often keen to take on an interest outside their homes and they know the importance of good births from their own experiences. Check through the birth register at your hospital - find out who has writing skills, is a journalist, can manage statistics, prepare budgets, lobby politicians, has access to potential funding sources or whatever it is that you need. Make a personal call and ask for their help - very few will refuse and most will be delighted to be asked.

Following a suitable background briefing, you can then let the consumers get on with fighting the cause. Keep in close contact and praise their efforts. You'll be surprised at the energy they can create and the wonderful supportive atmosphere that develops between women and midwives.

This is how it always was - women needing their midwife for the birth, then the midwife needing the woman for support to enable her to do her job most effectively. These relationships need rediscovering and nurturing. BTW - does any have a better word we can use to replace "consumer" in this context? I have tried out just calling these women "users" of maternity services but that doesn't seem quite right either. Ideas anyone?

Posted by andrea at September 25, 2002 02:52 PM

Comments

Andrea, I am so glad to find someone else with difficulty using the word consumer in this context, obviously I do too. I prefer midwifery clients to both consumers and definetly patients, but others don't like it. I have to bear/bare with the word consumer for the time being. I just see little pacmen gobbling up stuff everytime I hear the word, but I will get over it.
marilyn

Posted by: Marilyn Kleidon on September 28, 2002 12:59 PM

Comments

Andrea, I am so glad to find someone else with difficulty using the word consumer in this context, obviously I do too. I prefer midwifery clients to both consumers and definetly patients, but others don't like it. I have to bear/bare with the word consumer for the time being. I just see little pacmen gobbling up stuff everytime I hear the word, but I will get over it.
marilyn

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