NMC register: nursing associates may pay same as nurses to be registered
Posted 28 November 2017 - 10:48
Nursing and Midwifery Council proposal could see nursing associates pay £120 a year to register – despite being on a lower pay band
Nursing associates could pay the same fee as nurses and midwives to join the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register, according to discussion papers from the regulator.
The proposals could see nursing associates pay £120 a year to register, despite being on a lower pay band. The new role is designed to bridge the gap between unregistered healthcare assistants and registered nurses in England, with 2,000 people now in training.
In January, the NMC agreed to regulate the role, with the first wave of 1,000 nursing associates expected to begin registering in early 2019.
The NMC is set to consult on amending its fee structure ahead of nursing associates joining the register, with a decision expected in September 2018.
Two options before NMC meeting
Papers published before an NMC meeting on 29 November sets out two options: the nursing associates pay the same fee as nurses and midwives, or pay a different one.
The papers recommend that the NMC council approves a fee structure that ‘mirrors that of all other NMC registrants’.
The papers state: ‘It is anticipated that nursing associates will be subject to the same model of regulation and the same regulatory processes (for example, registration, revalidation, fitness to practise) as nurses and midwives.
‘Therefore in the absence of evidence to the contrary (given that nursing associates are a new profession), we have no basis on which to assume the costs of regulating nursing associates will be markedly different from the costs associated with regulating nurses and midwives.
‘Our proposed approach therefore, is that nursing associates pay the same fees as nurses and midwives.’
‘Proper consultation’ call from RCN
Trainee nursing associates enrolled on two-year training programmes are paid a band 3 salary, moving up to a band 4 on qualifying. This compares to a band 5 starting salary for a registered nurse or midwife.
In contrast to the NMC proposal, membership fees for the RCN are based on role, while Unison fees are based on salary.
Commenting on the proposals, RCN deputy director of nursing Stephanie Aiken said: ‘We need to understand the true cost of regulating this new role, and doing that will require proper consultation with our members.
‘The RCN will also be looking at similar roles overseas to find out how they are regulated, and what we can learn by way of comparison.’
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