It’s official: the responsibilities of midwives have been extended. After long discussions between the Senate and the National Assembly, which had difficulty agreeing on the content of the text, the bill to improve the health system through trust and simplification was definitively adopted. , this Wednesday April 14. However, certain articles quickly became the subject of a consensus between the two chambers, including those concerning the expansion of the skills of midwives.
The main purpose of this expansion is to strengthen the recognition of these healthcare professionals, who suffer from not being sufficiently considered within the hospital world. A survey carried out in June 2020 by the Order of Midwives points to the lack of recognition felt by these professionals: 96% of them believe that their profession is not or little valued.
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However, just like doctors or dental surgeons, the profession of midwife is a full-fledged medical profession, and not a para-medical profession such as nursing aides, nurses or ambulance attendants. Midwives have important responsibilities, from monitoring pregnancies to caring for mothers and newborns, and of course delivering childbirth.
Extension of the limitation period for work stoppages
Main novelty for these health professionals: they will be able to prescribe work stoppages of more than fifteen days and renew them. “This will both better recognize the skills of midwives and reduce inequalities in access to care,” said the rapporteur of the text, LREM deputy Stéphanie Rist, during the examination in the Social Affairs committee. of the National Assembly on March 9.
Currently, the social security code limits the length of time off work issued by midwives to fifteen days, while other medical professions, such as doctors or dental surgeons, may observe a disability that goes beyond. beyond two weeks.
Expansion of the range of treatments that can be prescribed
In addition to the lengthening of the duration of sick leave that can be issued by midwives, these health professionals will also be able to prescribe screening for STIs (sexually transmitted infections), as well as the associated treatments, to their patients and their partners. On the other hand, while the public health code currently authorizes midwives to prescribe medical devices (i.e. instruments, devices and medical equipment) and examinations necessary for the exercise of their profession, the proposed law broadens the spectrum of their services to “drugs”.
Reinforced recognition
The role and recognition of midwives are thus strengthened. From now on, in order “to promote the coordination of care in conjunction with the doctor, during and after pregnancy”, insured persons will be able to declare the name of their referring midwife to their health insurance manager, in addition to that. from their attending physician.
Finally, while the social security code stipulates that patients must participate more financially for medical consultations that are not carried out with their attending physician, article 2 of the new health law specifies that, if “the patient is referred by a midwife to another doctor on the occasion of the care she is called upon to provide ”, there can be no increase.
