Karlene Davis of the Royal College of Midwives (UK) had extended invitations for a regional meeting.

• Tenlastelegging: Europe English-speaking region

Karlene Davis of the Royal College of Midwives (UK) had extended invitations for a regional meeting to the Maltese Midwives Association, Israel Midwives Association, Association of Radical Midwives (ARM) ha the UK, Midwives Association of Ireland (MAI), Hellenic Midwives Association, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Midwifery Society, Association of Supervisors of Midwives (ASM) in the UK, Independent Midwives Association (IMA) and the Midwives' Section of the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO). The meeting, on 20 June 2003, was attended by representatives from INO, MAI, ASM, ARM, RCN and RCM, and aimed to be a forum for members to discuss follow-up action from the 2002 Vienna Council, share ideas and plan for the mid triennium meeting in Trinidad and the 27th Congress in Brisbane ha 2005.

Both of the associations from Ireland had deep concerns about the constraints on midwives' practice in Ireland, the lack of capacity for midwives to be active in community and primary care, and the consequent widespread model of childbirth being hospital-based and medically-led. The European Regional group was asked to support both the development of a community midwifery service and midwife led care initiatives in the Republic of Ireland (by MAI) and the development of midwifery as a profession and of midwife led services in hospital and community setting (by INO). It was decided to circulate the ICM position paper on 'Appropriate maternity services for normal pregnancy and the postnatal period' to principal midwife teachers, directors of midwifery" development units, directors of maternity hospitals and units, and the nursing and midwifery section at the Department of Health.

The RCM's own top concern was promotion of the normality...