Transforming and Supporting Patient Care - Health Professions ...

223Chapter 10 – Profession of MidwiferyTHE PRESCRIBING AND USE OF DRUGS IN THEPROFESSION OF MIDWIFERYThe College of Midwives of Ontario (CMO) and the Association of OntarioMidwives (AOM) made a joint submission requesting that the existing list ofdrugs in the regulation under the Midwifery Act, 1991 be replaced with aregulation that includes therapeutic classes of drugs, and that theregulatory mechanism for clinical regulations be revised to ensureresponsive and timely revision to enable midwives to keep up with currentpractice.HPRAC’s Central ResponseOntario’s midwives have a significant role to play in primary maternity careduring normal, healthy pregnancies. To further this role, HPRACrecommends that midwives in Ontario be authorized to prescribe andadminister drugs that are identified in the regulation under the MidwiferyAct, 1991 by therapeutic class, and that additional drug classes and agentsbe authorized to the profession. HPRAC is proposing a new regulatoryframework for drug approvals in Ontario which will be based on approval ofclasses of drugs and will include a more efficient process for approval ofindividual drugs within classes.Review of Midwifery Scope of PracticeHPRAC recently reviewed the scope of practice for the profession ofmidwifery. In that review, the CMO and the AOM partnered in a jointresponse to HPRAC’s investigation. At the same time, HPRAC had also beenasked by the Minister to consider the prescribing and use of drugs by nonphysicians.HPRAC determined that scope of practice reviews were anessential first step in making recommendations to the Minister on whethera profession should be authorized to prescribe, dispense, sell or compounddrugs and under what conditions. HPRAC therefore considered the questionof drug regulations under the Midwifery Act, 1991 as a matter to beconsidered during this second phase of its examination, following thereview of the scope of practice of the profession. 1Background on Midwifery in OntarioThe ProfessionMidwives are trained to manage labour and conduct spontaneous normalvaginal deliveries in their practice settings and have a significant role toplay in primary maternity care during normal, healthy pregnancies. Thescope of practice of midwifery is: “the assessment and monitoring of1HPRAC, HPRAC: An Interim Report to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care on Mechanisms toFacilitate and Support Collaboration Among Health Colleges and Regulated Health Professionals:Phase II, Part 1.September 2008:.94.HPRAC Critical Links January 2009