Midwifery
Find out how we are strengthening and supporting the New Zealand midwifery workforce.
Pātiki and Waharua Kōpito patterns
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Becoming a midwife
Midwives need a degree in midwifery and must be registered with the Midwifery Council.
For more information on becoming a midwife in New Zealand, visit:
Te Ara ō Hine – Tapu Ora
Te Ara ō Hine – Tapu Ora is an initiative underway to support and increase the number of Māori and Pacific midwifery students.
The programme provides pastoral care, academic support, and financial aid to Māori and Pacific midwifery students across the five midwifery schools in New Zealand: Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka, Otago Polytechnic, Ara Institute of Canterbury (Ara) and Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec).
Funding enables at least one lead support provider at each of the schools, built-in tutoring and guidance, and annual hui to help build relationships and a national network of Māori and Pacific students.
The support provider will also focus on actively recruiting new Māori and Pacific midwifery students.
A discretionary hardship fund is available to help meet the needs of midwifery students while they complete their studies, managed by each of the schools.
Te Ara ō Hine – Tapu Ora aims to address some of the challenges faced for midwifery students during their studies, increase the number of midwives in our workforce, and help ensure that workforce represents the communities our midwives are serving.
The programme is the result of collaboration between the Health New Zealand, midwives, Māori and Pacific faculty, current students and recent graduates from each of the five schools.
AUT holds the contract with the Health New Zealand and has a memorandum of understanding with the four other education providers.
Midwifery Return to Practice Fund
This fund can support New Zealand-based midwives who are looking to return to midwifery practice. It is also available to support midwives who have been practising overseas and are looking to return to practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.
About the fund
Funding to support former midwives back to practice has been in place since 2021. Following a review, the level of funding has been increased in 2024, and additional support introduced for former midwives returning to practice.
The fund has two parts: Return to Practice (RTP) and Return to New Zealand Practice.
The level of funding and recertification requirements vary depending on the length of time away from practice.
Who can get funding
To be eligible to apply for funding, you must:
- hold New Zealand citizenship or New Zealand residency, and
- fall into one of the following categories:
Return to Practice programme
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Category A Midwives who have not practised for less than 3 years |
Not funded Midwives in this category are not required to complete a RTP programme. |
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Category B Midwives who have not practised between 3-5 years. |
$2,100 Includes: APC, Midwifery Standards Review, Pharmacology and prescribing course. |
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Category C Midwives who have not practised between 5-10 years. |
$5,050 Includes: APC, Midwifery Standards Review, MCNZ processing fee, required education courses for RTP1. |
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Category D Midwives who have not practised for more than 10 years. |
Up to $7,050 Will depend on requirements agreed for RTP by Midwifery Council and would be agreed on a case-by-case basis. |
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Individual costs associated with completing the programme prioritising Māori and Pacific midwives and those living or working rurally. |
Up to $5,000 per midwife depending on personal circumstance and need. This portion of the funding cannot be used for capital expenditure but may be used for course costs, travel costs or childcare to remove barriers to completing the return to practice programme. |
1 Pharmacology and Prescribing, Integrated Physiological Birth, Integrated Complicated Pregnancy, Cultural Competence, Examination of the Newborn Theory.
2. An example of 'capital expenditure' (CAPEX) is a car, while paying for petrol is an operational expense (OPEX).
Return to New Zealand Practice programme
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Category A and B Midwives who are returning to NZ within five years. |
$1,260 Includes: APC, Midwifery Standards Review. |
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Category C Midwives who are returning to NZ after more than five years. |
$2,650 Includes: APC, Midwifery Standards Review, required education courses. |
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Individual costs associated with completing the programme prioritising Māori and Pacific midwives and those living or working rurally. |
Up to $5,000 per midwife depending on personal circumstance and need. This portion of the funding cannot be used for capital expenditure but may be used for course costs, travel costs or childcare to remove barriers to completing the return to practice programme. |
Accessing the fund
To access this fund, you will need evidence of your enrolment in the RTP or RTNZP programme with the Midwifery Council.
If you are a lead maternity carer undertaking RTP or Return to New Zealand Practice you will require a letter of endorsement from either you local district Health New Zealand DOM, Ngā Maia lead or NZCOM chair.
How we decide who to fund
Funding will be prioritised to address workforce inequities by prioritising applicants who are Māori or Pacific, and applicants who live or work in rural areas.
Midwifery RTP Application form
Health New Zealand are accepting retrospective claims from 1 July 2024 for eligible Midwives.
For more information
If you have any questions about the funding contact your local DOM or RTP lead. For more information about returning to practice please visit Te Tatau o te Whare Kahu | Midwifery Council website.
Te Tatau o te Whare Kahu | Midwifery Council (external link)