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According to Model Agreement B. paragraph 1, the Association
must "undertake to provide for the temporary replacement
of such of the midwives employed for the area in question as may
from time to time be rendered unavailable for service." Hours of
duty, holidays, etc., will continue to be arranged by the Associations
in respect of their own nurses.
Qualifications and Status of Midwife.
(a) Qualifications—The qualifications of the nurses at present on
the staffs of these Associations are not uniform; the majority
of these midwives are State-registered nurses in addition to
holding the certificate of the Central Midwives' Board, but
there are several highly skilled midwives in practice who are
not general-trained nurses. At the inauguration of the Service,
this factor should be considered in deciding on the
salaries to be paid to the midwives, and for this purpose 1
would suggest that a period of ten years' continuous and
satisfactory service as a district midwife should qualify any
midwife for a salary equivalent to that of the general trained
midwife.
The appointment of midwives subsequent to this agreement
coming into force should be subject to the approval of
the Council through the Medical Officer of Health, and it will
be desirable in future, that as far as possible a midwife with
the General Nursing Certificate shall be appointed. According
to Paragraph 6 of the Model Agreement B "the Association
shall supply the Authority with a list of names and
addresses of the midwives employed by them in pursuance of
this Agreement and shall forthwith inform the Authority of
any change in the list."
(b) Status of Midwife—The midwives employed by the Associations
are of different status in their profession. They will be
graded under the Agreements as Sisters or Staff-midwives,
their salaries being adjusted accordingly.
Age of Midwife.
Following the usual practice in regard to employees of the
Council, a midwife shall not be employed by any Association in
pursuance of this Agreement after reaching the age of 65 years.
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