Note: This article was originally published in our Autumn 2019 edition of our On Call newsletter, and has not been updated.
Dear Midwives, Stakeholders and Members of the Public,
It is my pleasure to introduce myself as the College of Midwives of Ontario’s newly elected Council President. I am currently a practising midwife, first registered in 2015, and have been a member of the College’s Council since 2017.
I applied to run for this position because I wanted to make the profession more inclusive, diverse and sustainable. I am excited to now begin my term and I look forward to continuing to navigate the complexity of self-regulation, while also following the College’s mandate of regulating in the public interest. I was fortunate to attend several regulatory events with Kelly in October, where I learned more about the College’s role in the health regulatory world and how we can regulate efficiently and effectively going forward.
I’d like to now bring your attention to the open consultation on the proposed changes to the Designated Drugs Regulation. The College has worked closely with the Ministry to modernize the regulation to include categories of drugs that midwives may prescribe and administer instead of specifying individual drugs as they are listed now.
These changes will reduce the number of unnecessary consultations with physicians and will improve care to clients who will receive this care directly from their midwife. I encourage everyone to read through the proposed amendments and provide their feedback. The public consultation closes on November 22, 2019
I would like to recognize the expertise and perseverance of staff in bringing forward a well-researched revised Designated Drugs Regulation. This revised regulation supports the regulatory framework that the College has adopted and will serve the public well by providing midwifery clients with safe access to necessary drugs and substances during their care.
Claire Ramlogan-Salanga
President