Complaint Review addresses a complaint against a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) to NARM. This initiates a formal process that must include the participation of the midwife and the client. Recommendations derived as a result of this process are non-binding.
If a conflict arises between a client and a midwife, a local Community Peer Review may discuss the details with the midwife. NARM urges the use of the Complaint Review process, which includes participation of the client whose course of care initiated the complaint and the formation of a Complaint Review Committee. This is to be done on the most local level possible. If this cannot be achieved to the client’s satisfaction and the client wishes to take action against the CPM’s credential, a written complaint may be filed with the Accountability Department by either the client or the Complaint Review Committee.
The NARM Board reserves the right to evaluate, in its sole discretion, the appropriate application of NARM’s Complaint Review and Grievance Mechanism.
Recommendations resulting from NARM Complaint Review may be binding at the discretion of the NARM Board. However, the midwife named in the complaint may reach resolution with the complainant by addressing the concerns expressed in Complaint Review. In extreme circumstances, NARM may make additional recommendations or binding requirements to the midwife. A complaint will be addressed in Complaint Review only if the client whose course of care has prompted the complaint is willing to sign a records release. With a records release, her chart will be confidentially reviewed and discussed by the midwives participating in Complaint Review. Without the client’s permission to review her chart the complaint is closed.