FAQ: Global Liability Insurance funding and how it impacts your registration with the College

In accordance with the College’s General By-laws article 14.06, midwives are required to notify the College of any changes to the information that has previously been provided within 14 days of the change. This includes personal contact information, name change, practice, position, and privilege information, as well as any information about complaints or investigations that you are the subject of by another regulatory body and any outcomes.

Before the shift to the global funding model, many midwives would typically request a class change to the inactive class for the duration of any breaks in practice. This may no longer be the case, as midwives who continue to maintain professional liability insurance are able to stay in the general class while taking a break from practising midwifery. It remains critical that all midwives ensure that their information on the public register remains current at all times.

The College is unable to advise you on this issue as this decision is dependent on each registrant and their personal circumstances. Here are a few factors to consider when making your decision:

• To remain in the general class, you must maintain professional liability insurance at all times.
• All registered midwives are expected to be competent in their area of practice (See Professional Standards). It is your responsibility to ensure that you maintain the knowledge and clinical skills necessary to provide high quality, safe, and effective care even if you are not practising.
• If you choose to enter the inactive class of registration, it is important to note that you will be required to apply to return to the general class. Midwives requesting a class change from the inactive class to the general class must meet a number of registration requirements, including current clinical experience. If you do not meet the requirements, you may be referred to a panel of the Registration Committee who could order a requalification program. The Registration Committee panel will want reassurance that you have maintained the knowledge, skills, and judgment relevant to your professional practice. We encourage you to plan ahead to avoid any delays. You should submit a class change application form to the College a minimum of eight weeks before the requested date of the change
• Registrants in the general class are subject to active practice requirements (APR). All registered midwives in the general class must submit regular reporting that details active practice birth numbers both in and out of the hospital. The active practice requirements due date can be found in the Active Practice Reporting tab within the Registrant Portal.
• Inactive certificate holders are not required to report APR. If you are due to meet your APR but were inactive at any point during the applicable reporting period, the College will extend your reporting deadline for the amount of time you were registered in the inactive class.
• Registrants in the general class and inactive class are both subject to Quality Assurance Program requirements.  This includes completion of a professional development portfolio every three years for general and inactive midwives. Any midwife may request exemption from all or part of the Professional Development Portfolio. Midwives in the inactive class are not included in the selection pool for Peer and Practice Assessments.

Yes.

Registrants in the general class are required to maintain current training in neonatal resuscitation, emergency skills, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation in accordance with the requirements outlined in the Registration Regulation.

Satisfactory evidence of continuing competencies and completed training in these areas will be verified each year during the renewal period.

Further, all registered midwives are expected to be competent in their areas of practice. Consequently, it is imperative that you maintain the knowledge and clinical skills  necessary to provide high quality, safe, and effective care in the event that you start practising again.

All registrants in the general class are subject to the active practice requirements. Exception to this requirement can only occur in two circumstances:

• The Registrar may grant an exception under the APR policy if birth number shortfall represents 40% or less in any one or a combination of categories ((1) primary out-of-hospital births plus seconds, (2) primary hospital births plus seconds, or (3) overall total births); or
• A panel of the Registration Committee grants an exception due to extenuating circumstances.

If this does not apply to you, the panel of the Registration Committee may propose a shortfall plan to satisfy the active practice requirements.

All registrants in the general or supervised class are eligible to be selected to participate in the assessment. Midwives in the inactive class are not included in annual Peer and Practice Assessments.

All registrants are required to participate in the Quality Assurance Program. Inactive class midwives, and midwives in the general class who do not work will still be required to declare they have completed their professional development portfolio upon renewal every three years. Twenty per cent of midwives who report completion of the professional development portfolio each cycle are randomly selected for auditing and will be required to submit their completed Professional Development portfolio to the College for review. Midwives in both the inactive and general classes are subject to inclusion in the audit, regardless of their working status.

On the College of Midwives of Ontario website, you can find all the information you need to maintain your registration. You can also reach out to registration@cmo.on.ca with any questions.

We also encourage you to review the Professional Standards to understand what is expected of you as a midwife registered with the College of Midwives of Ontario.