The MMPO holds a contract with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora to administer funded locum services for self-employed LMC midwives. These services are critical to maintaining care in under-served areas and reducing burnout for self-employed midwives.
Rural Locum Service
The Rural Locum Service supports time off for planned leave as well as cover when a midwife must step away from her caseload at short notice (eg. due to illness or emergencies). We are funded to provide:
- Up to 10 days of planned leave cover
- Up to 8 days of emergency leave cover
... per rural midwife, per contract year.
You are likely eligible for a full annual allocation of rural locum days if you have:
- An annual caseload of approximately 20 rural clients
- Making up around 50% of your total caseload
Midwives with fewer rural clients may be eligible for a pro-rated number of planned leave days per year.
Urban Emergency Locum Service
Urban Emergency Locum Service
The Urban Locum Service supports time off for cover when a midwife must step away from her caseload at short notice (eg. due to illness or emergencies). We are funded to provide 8 days of emergency locum cover per contract year.
You are likely eligible for urban locum cover if you:
- Have an urban caseload
- Are not eligible for Rural Locum Services
Become a Locum
Midwives can sign up to become a locum through rural, urban, or both services, depending on background and experience.
You are likely eligible to be a locum if you:
- Have been a registered midwife for 3 years
- Hold a current APC with no conditions to practice
- Have no outstanding complaints or cases with ACC, HDC, Midwifery Council or other bodies
- Have experience as an LMC midwife and are confident providing labour and birth care in rural primary maternity settings (rural locums only)
Locums are paid a daily rate through the MMPO Locum Portal. Daily rates are tiered based on caseloading rurality and travel distance. Emergency locum covers may include additional fees for short-notice handovers and births attended.