So, first trip to Dunkirk refugee camp is out of the
way. Much learning and processing is still to be done, though. This
sprawling of findings feels like I'm sifting through a tin of
spaghetti alphabet letters. In order to explain to another, I need a
level of understanding myself, and I don't yet have that. But I CAN
tell you of the practicalities, and with so many midwives considering
getting out there to support the refugees, this is good enough.
 |
The team. A mix of characters, but we worked really well together.
Thank you, Maggie, Verity, and Sharon, for joining me. |
Practicalities of
the trip
Obviously, up to date passport, E111, travel insurance.
A few euros are always handy, too.
Channel tunnel
Cost £154 and shared by the four of
us, booked on line (see channel tunnel bookings). Ferry is much
cheaper, and takes about 2 hours. Needed to put passport details of
fellow travellers online. We got to the tunnel quite early, after
leaving plenty of time to travel down to Folkstone, and managed to
get on the earlier shuttle. You need to get there 30 minutes before.
Actual time in the shuttle was about 35 minutes.
Driving in France.
 |
| Verity, amidst all the donated goods. |
I checked my car insurance covered my
driving in France. In fact, it covered anywhere in Europe for 30
days. I bought a bag full of the necessary car accessories for
driving in France (GB sign, headlight diffusers, two breathalyser
tests. Spare bulbs, a small first aid kit, a warning triangle, a high
visibility tabard....but you now need one for EVERY passenger. Fire
extinguisher is advised but not compulsory) by last minute online
shopping. I filled my car with fuel when I left home in Oxford, and
didn't need to fill up until I got back into UK. So, fuel for the
duration of our stay cost us around £70 tops.
The sat nav was so helpful, and I'd
already copied out maps of where we needed to go. However, there
wasn't very clear info on finding the actual camps. Having three
mates in the car who relentlessly shouted 'On The Right' to me, meant
we got there and back in one piece. The most challenging times were
giving way at roundabouts, and coming off them, flowing onto a dual
carriage way (because you can't easily see with a right hand drive
car) and moving out of or into junctions. Talking myself through
where I planned to drive, while I was doing it, helped all of us stay
focussed. I did have to turn around at one point, because I'd missed
a turning. When I pulled back out, I was briefly on the WRONG side of
the road, and moving towards the right turn that I'd missed. I
totally ignored the panicked shouts of 'On The Right'. I thought they
were over zealously telling me where I needed to turn. Hairy moment,
but the only one. I found I quickly became accustomed to it.
Hotel
We stayed at the Premierre Classe
Hotel, Rue de Lac, Armbouts Cappel, about 7-8 minutes drive from the
camp at Grande Synthe (look up Boullevarde Pierre mendes). The rooms
had a double bed and a single above. The bathroom was small but
always had fiercely powerful and hot running water in the showers.
The beds were comfy. For the price of £136 for five nights, the
rooms were very good value. Breakfast was a pretty basic affair, with
bread or cake, yogurt, juice and coffee.
For our evening's meal, we crossed the
road to the Quality Hotel. Nice food, and wine. But they don't serve
food on fri/sat/sun evenings.
Provision of
maternity care in Dunkirk camp.
Medicins sans Frontieres have now been
welcomed to provide care in the Dunkirk camp, and are there up to 7
days a week. Medicins du Monde are now there Thursdays and Fridays,
and Gynaecologiques sans Frontieres are also there Thursdays and
Fridays.
These guys are able to provide first aid maternity care
for women who present at their caravans. Beyond this, the women, and
anyone else needing further treatment, have to get to the local
hospital. There was understandable frustrations within the teams,
with the amount of care they were legally able to provide.
 |
| Touching base with MSF. Communication is important. |
Many women are afraid of venturing out, and there is a
level of mistrust towards the NGOs. Several pregnant women are known
by MSF and the various voluntary organisations, but there are
undoubtedly some that are unknown to the support workers, and of
course there will be new pregnancies. Some more vulnerable women are
removed from the camp, and placed in hotel settings or 'plasitc'
housing. It was never made clear how these women access their
maternity care, or who has details of their whereabouts.
Professional
regulation
 |
| Not quite midwifery, but valuable all the same. |
In order to practice full midwifery
skills, we are required to have professional indemnity insurance. NHS
covers us for our work within shift and trust time only. Royal
College of Nursing, and maybe Unison(?) provide cover for some care,
but not all, and certainly not intrapartum care. Royal College of
Midwives cover for 'Samaritan' care only (see below).
 |
Maggie doing a brilliant job
in the 'shoe department'. |
In order to practice midwifery in
France, you also have to be registered with the French Medical
Council. They cover slightly different aspects and, understandably,
mastery of the French language is a necessity.
The most convenient way of providing
midwifery care in the refugee camps, would be to work within an
organisation (NGO). However, in order to get insurance cover,
training etc, you'd have to commit to maybe three months continuous
work with them, and most NHS midwives would actually have to say
goodbye to their regular jobs in order to work with the NGOs.
So, what does this mean for me, as a UK
registered midwife? I'm not in a position to be able to leave my job
and take up a nomadic and uncertain life with the medical NGO's. I'm
not either, at this point, prepared to jump through hoops to become a
'French' midwife.....
I believe many midwives are out there
simply 'doing their bit'. They are providing emergency care,
midwifery based or not, and are working without the support of their
country or union. Yup, dodgy, but definitely raw humanitarian work
where and when it is needed most. Bless them, and what a crying shame
they're not getting the support they deserve.
Over the next few months, I wouldn't be
surprised to see a few more positive statements creep out of the
woodwork. Mostly, midwives are caring people. Why wouldn't they want
to support this dreadful crisis? Legally, or illegally, they're going
to help. It would fill my heart with delight to see the Royal College
of Midwives providing some kind of support. Maybe there will be a
statement posted soon, on their website explaining their position.
There has been debate over exactly what
constitutes emergency or Samaritan care. When pushed, the RCM
provided this definition....
'The
policy provides for claims arising from a good Samaritan act however
it is important to note that a Good Samaritan act is where medical
services are provided at a scene of a medical emergency, accident or
disaster who is present by chance or in response to a medical
call. '
The
finer detail of 'present by chance' isn't really fine enough, in my
mind. It left me thinking if there did happen to be a maternity
emergency, I'd be better off walking in the opposite direction, in
case there were repercussions. This is wrong on all levels.
Other
tips to share.
There
is no legal advisory organisation that I know of, working within the
Dunkirk camp. The refugees could REALLY do with this. They need to be
supported to move on, and have choices regarding safe transit,
asylum, and funding during this process. So many are still in camp
because they don't know what to do next. They are sitting ducks for
yet more trafficking.
Getting
past the police into camp was problematic only on the last day. We
were advised we'd have to go to the town hall to request authority
for access, but they then 'allowed' us in, after check all or our
passports (midwives are such a dodgy gang!).
Our
small team of midwives spent much of our time in the Women and
Children's Tent. This seemed a pretty sensible place to hang out to
get conversation started, support women emotionally, with advice and
education about any issues these women had. Sadly, it's probably only
the more confident women who were accessing this tent, and until word
gets around that midwifery support is here, we'll have limited
knowledge and access to the more vulnerable ones. It would be great
to have midwifery presence on a regular basis, so that we can venture
into the 'woods'.
If
you're a midwife planning on going over there, be prepared to support
generally. Litter picking, taking people to the hospital, gathering
provisions for people, help support the new school. Vaccination
programmes for measles may be up and running and you might like to
help out with that. HANDS, NGO, seem to be organising this. Stay in
contact with MSF etc, as these guys will be in the 'know' of recent
events.
 |
| Risking life and limb (mostly limb) to get to the Women and Children's Tent. |
If
you want to support the Women and Children's Tent, there are a few
simple ground rules. The aim is to supply women with clothes etc, and
for them to collect what is needed in a safe manner. Men in the tent
is a 'no-no'. Men hanging around the tent is discouraged. Only three
women at a time in the tent (as some more sought after provisions
disappear very fast!), children need to be accompanied. Ethos is to
take only what is needed (ie, not taking half the shop in order to
sell it on..). Put your personal belongings behind the 'no-go' area,
or they WILL walk. Remember the guys in charge (currently Adrian and
Svenja) are volunteers, too, and you're sharing THEIR space. The door
opens at 11am, and closes at dusk, or when quiet.
 |
With Adrian and Svenja, catching up after a lovely
lunch that DIDN'T consist of rice. |
There
IS a box labelled 'Maternity' at the back of the tent. It has multi
vitamins, Iron, UTI treatments, condoms, pregnancy tests inside. We
could do with Vitamin D, too. These are all 'off the counter' preps.
Any translations/ communication aids can be left here. Over time, it
is hoped that women know they can seek the more social/ educational
aspects of midwifery support in this tent, and it can also be a base
for volunteering midwives.
 |
Cards, with Kurdish writing on the reverse, to help
educate about pregnancy complications. |
There
is not enough women's leggings, jogging bottoms, sleeping bags, hair
brushes, conditioners, wet wipes, small packs of tissues in the
Women's and Children's tent. If you're planning on going, take
provisions straight there. Do not pass Calais. Go directly to
Dunkirk.
In
time, there may well be a new 'Women's Tent' erected near the current
tent, where women can go to cook etc. Maybe this will have more space
to 'be', as supporters. The idea of a 'knitting tent' has gone. There
isn't enough stability, currently, to keep this a 'safe' place.
There
are many volunteer groups on Facebook etc. It's a good idea to make
yourself known to a team and ensure somebody knows where you are.
Loads of support is around at the weekend, and the place feels quite
different. Help is best coordinated, and projects, current needs, and
concerns (there were shootings in camp on the day we arrived, and
demonstrations/ tear gas use on another day) can be passed about very
quickly. Every day is different. More hands make less work...only by
collaboration and communication.
 |
| In limbo...and an awful lot of mud! |
I
apologise. This is a rather sullen and humourless post. I found
nothing to joke or get excited about (Best I don't mention the many
firm bums in the blue Gendarme trousers every night at the hotel).
The apathy and lawlessness in the camp was a real eye opener, but it
was present alongside the many dreadful stories of basic survival of
the fittest and the lucky. What some of these people have endured to
get to this point beggars belief.
So,
this is as much as I can give at the moment. Frustration, anger,
disappointment, sadness...doesn't become me. I shall jiggle things
and ferment ideas until I can come up with a wholly more positive
picture, and update.
An
answer to this whole sorry state would be good, but while the world
makes noises about getting it's act together, we'll just carry on
caring.
