Freeze the fee

Tomorrow (October 1) members of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) will meet to decide whether to increase the registration fee for nurses by 20 per cent.

In order to practice nurses must pay a fee to register. Last year the fee increased from ÂŁ76 to ÂŁ100. This year the NMC wants to increase it to ÂŁ120. All nurses must pay this fee every year or they cannot practice.

“In a consultation on fee increases 98 per cent of our members didn’t agree with it.” said Jane Beach, a professional officer at Unite. “These workers haven’t had a pay increase in more than five years and many are struggling as it is.This fee hike will cause further financial hardship.”

The fee must be paid in one chunk and falls in the month that the nurse qualified. The NMC are consulting on whether to make the fee payable in monthly instalments but if so this won’t come in to effect until 2016.

The government failed to implement the Law Commission recommendations that potentially would have reduced the cost of their regulation.

“Our members are still reeling from absorbing the last 32 per cent increase in the registration fee, which is basically, a tax on jobs. Without NMC registration you can’t work; it is as simple as that.” said Jane Beach.

Health visitors and community nurses will greet the NMC with a giant ÂŁ20 note, which they will cut to show their anger at the proposed increase.

“Tomorrow’s protest is designed to drive home the depth of feeling that our members feel on this issue, especially as the NMC has reserves of almost £10 million in its assets.” added Jane.

Unite’s policy is that there should be a halt on any fee hike until at least March 2016 – and even then, any increase should be linked to the annual pay rise for NHS staff.

Those affected include health visitors, acute and mental health nurses, school nurses and midwives.

Tune in to Unite Live tomorrow for the NMC’s decision on our nurses future.