How does your midwifery practice decide which clients to take on?
An independent midwife can choose her clientele and how many women she looks after in any period of time. At Kent Midwifery Practice we rarely turn down women as we do not want to chance leaving a woman without options. We may have to decline taking a booking from a woman if she lives too far away from us. We will however do our best to help put her in touch with other midwives closer to her.




Where is your midwifery practice based?
Most Independent midwives will travel for an hour from where they live. Fortunately in Kent most towns can be reached within an hour's drive of Ashford, where both midwives in the practice live.

On the last busy day Virginia Howes made her first call in Maidstone then on to Chatham, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and finally Tenterden. On the same day Kay Hardie was in Canterbury, Folkestone, Dover, Deal, Sittingbourne and Rainham. So no matter what town you live in, we will get to you.

Can I still have NHS care if I choose independent midwives?
Yes, you are still entitled to NHS care for any tests or scans which would normally be provided on the NHS. You can have antenatal appointments with Kent Midwifery Practice, and still see your GP or attend any hospital tours and antenatal classes which your local Trust offers. Both Kay Hardie and Virginia Howes can arrange for you to have any NHS tests or scans which are required, and can refer you to an NHS obstetrician if you need a consultation. We practise in co-operation with our NHS colleagues to support our clients if they need hospital care. Kent Midwifery Practice covers a number of NHS Trusts, and we can advise you about services available in your area. We can also advise on private scans and referral to any other private practice.

What if I need drugs for pain relief, or after the birth?
Virginia Howes and Kay Hardie are both licensed to administer drugs on the Midwives' List. This includes Entonox ('Gas and Air'), Pethidine (injected opiates) and drugs to manage postpartum haemorrhage. You do not need to see your GP to get a prescription for Pethidine. At Kent Midwifery Practice we bring plenty of Entonox to births, because we know how frustrating it can be to run out.