Terri Barrett– President ACMI 2017 – 2020
· National conferences were always a highlight – the first in my home state of WA, the second in the national capital and the third scheduled for Sydney cancelled due to COVID.
· Attending a round table hosted by Minister Hunt on childhood health and well-being at Parliament House was a great opportunity (the only non-medical attendee)
· Judging the Birth Photography Awards was a very special privilege as part of the conference each year.
· Retirement of the inaugural CE of the unified ACM , Ms Ann Kinnear in July 2019
· Recruitment of a new CEO – Mr Luke Williamson in July 2019
· Providing leadership through the pandemic – the inability to bring midwives together completely changed core business for the ACM. Difficulties acknowledged, and thanks go to staff for managing to work & achieve so much in the changed working arrangements of a pandemic
· Leading a virtual Board – we did not meet face to face from September 2020 through to the end of my tenure.
· Virtual ICM attendance
· Participation in the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce/Pregnancy & Perinatal Care
· Agreed to work more closely with RANZCOG and RACGP to reinvigorate the Joint Committee on maternity Services.
· Developing the Memorandum of Understanding with RANZCOG
· Continued advocacy on the issue of Professional Indemnity for midwives with a temporary extension of the exemption grated until Dec 2020.
· Another important focus has been the ‘Birthing on Country’ project, in partnership with CATSINaM, University of Qld, University of Sydney, and the Poche Institute.
· Lobbying around the recent Medicare Review.
· Continued participation in the Expert Advisory Group for the development of the National Strategic Approach to Maternity Services.
· Prof Kathleen Fahy retired as editor on ACM Journal ‘Women & Birth’ & Prof Caroline Homer Appointed Editor in 2018
· Constitution Amended at AGM on 18 October 2018 in Perth
· Work continued in the areas of clinical mentoring for midwives and growing Liaison Midwives roles
· Midwifery Awards expanded with 2 new categories, in the recognition of the diverse work of midwives in the areas of education and Bereavement care.
· Structural Review undertaken in 2020.
· Strategic Plan 2020 -2023 developed
· Constitution amended at 31 October 2020 AGM