What is the role of the Midwifery Council of New Zealand?

The role of the Midwifery Council of New Zealand centers on protecting the public by ensuring that midwives are competent and fit to practice. This responsibility is essential because the primary goal of the Council is to safeguard the health and safety of the public through effective regulation of the midwifery profession. By establishing standards for education, conduct, and practice, the Council ensures that midwives possess the necessary skills and knowledge to provide safe and effective care to mothers and their children.

This focus on public protection includes processes such as ongoing assessments of midwives' competence, managing concerns regarding practice, and ensuring that midwives remain aware of current practices and protocols in maternity care. Such regulatory oversight helps maintain high standards within the profession, which is crucial for gaining and sustaining public trust in midwifery services.

Other choices do not encapsulate the core mission of the Midwifery Council. While training, fee-setting, and education program approval are important aspects of midwifery, they fall outside of the Council's primary mandate of public safety and practitioner competency. These responsibilities may be handled by different organizations or systems that support the midwifery profession but do not define the Council's main function.