Statement from Caroline Conroy, Co-leader, MERAS Whereas we acknowledge recruiting midwives from overseas will assist in alleviating the immediate shortage we are facing, there is a world-wide shortage of midwives because of a lack of…

The Southern district is one of the few districts well-placed to bounce back from its midwife shortage, MERAS Co-Leader Caroline Conroy told Stuff reporter Louisa Steyl in an article published on 2 September 2022. But things…

Midwives are celebrating the $40 a week increase in Paid Parental leave entitlements from 1 July as they see daily, new parents struggling to meet rising costs. From Friday 1 July, the maximum weekly rate…

New Zealand is hundreds of midwives short and there are concerns a new healthcare recruitment drive in New South Wales could make the staff shortage problem worse. On Sunday, New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet…

St George’s Hospital midwives breathed a collective sigh of relief after today’s announcement that the maternity service is to continue at least until the new central city primary maternity unit opens in the middle of…

MERAS Co-Leader Jill Ovens spoke to Magic Talk on 8 February about the risks posed by an Omicron outbreak to our health service. You can listen to the interview below (approx 7 minutes long) https://meras.midwife.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/02/Jill-Ovens-on-Magic-Talk-8-Feb-2022_Omicron-threat.m4a

On 7 February MERAS Co-Leader Jill ovens told Radio New Zealand an already stressed health system could become overwhelmed when border restrictions are lifted. “It’s worrying that a number of sports bodies, businesses and particularly…

An already stressed health system is at real risk of becoming overwhelmed. That from the employed midwives’ union, MERAS, after the Government yesterday announced a timeline to lift border restrictions. MERAS co-leader, Jill Ovens, says…