30 September 2020
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) decision to increase nursing and midwifery registration renewal fees for 2020-2021 has been met with deep concern by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF).
The increase sees a jump from $175 to $180 – a difference of $5.00
The annual renewal fee will apply from 18 September 2020 and for most practitioners covers the registration period 1 June 2021 to 31 May 2022.
The Board stated it had limited the increase to an indexation of 3%.
In response, the ANMF said the decision to increase fees was poorly considered and unacceptable to members.
The union has requested the NMBA and AHPRA to withdraw the registration renewal fee increase for the next registration period given the significant impact of the pandemic on nurses and midwives.
The ANMF said that in recognition of the incredible contribution nurses and midwives had made this year, providing frontline health care to treat and combat the spread of the virus, members would expect there to be, at the very least, a freeze on any increase in this coming renewal period.
While the NMBA and AHPRA COVID-19 financial hardship payment plan is continuing, the ANMF said the plan only served to delay payment rather than reduce the fee for those nurses and midwives experiencing genuine financial difficulty.
Even with these arrangements in place, some ANMF members are reporting that they will have difficulty in meeting the required payments, the union said.
This story was originally published by
ANMJ on 28 September 2020. Written by ANMJ Staff.