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.

Sign up for Rural Locum Cover

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

Sign up for Emergency Urban Locum Cover

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.

Become a locum