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NMC registration fee consultation slammed by Unite
The decision by the Nursing and
Midwifery Council (NMC) to press ahead with its consultation that could see
registration fees for nurses, midwives and health visitors jump by 20 per cent
has been condemned by Unite, the country’s largest
union.
Unite
professional officer Jane Beach said: “For the NMC to push ahead with
this consultation smacks of insensitivity, especially given the derisory
‘divide and rule’ pay offer that health secretary, Jeremy Hunt made
to NHS staff a fortnight ago.”
Unite,
which represents about 25,000 nurses and community nurses on the NMC’s
register, has said there should be a moratorium 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.
The
registration fee, which nurses have to pay to be able to work, is currently
£100 a year – and yesterday the NMC kick started the consultation
process on the £120 proposal, which could come into effect in March 2015.
The consultation period will run between May and July.
Unite will
be launching a campaign to fight this proposed rise.
Jane Beach
said: “Our members are still absorbing the latest hike from £76
to £100 a year, which is a tax on jobs.
“We repeat our call for a moratorium on any rise in the
registration fee until at least March 2016 – and even then, any rise
should be linked to the annual pay award for NHS staff.
“The argument the NMC is
putting forward is that it needs the extra cash to tackle the backlog of
‘fitness to practice’ cases. However, it is Unite’s view that
this should be financed by the government.
“This would enable the NMC to balance its books and stop
this obsessive urge to make outrageous raids on the declining incomes in real
terms of its more than 600,000 registrants.
“It should be remembered that only a very small
percentage ever has ‘fitness to practice’ complaints made against
them, so why should the vast majority of the nursing, health visiting and
midwifery professions
have to fork out for this
process?”
ENDS
For further information please contact Unite senior communications officer Shaun Noble on 07768 693940
