The annual registration fee for the Nursing and Midwifery Council increases to £120 this month.
In a statement the NMC described the decision as a ‘difficult’ one, adding that it recognised the pressures faced by nurses and midwives, and had listened ‘carefully’ to all the issues raised by the consultation.
But it stressed that its first duty was to protect the public, and that it was committed to keeping the yearly charge at the lowest level that made filling its statutory duty possible, adding that it would continue to look for more efficient ways of working.
The body has also recently carried out a survey which revealed that some 70% of its members were not claiming the full tax relief to which they were entitled on their registration fees and other expenses, which meant on average they were missing a £177 tax rebate.
A number of other expenses, such as uniform washing and subscriptions to professional organisations like RCN and UNISON. So, remember, don’t miss out or overpay tax. Work out how much you could claim back today – and claim it.
Operating independently of government, the NMC is regulator for Britain’s biggest group of healthcare professionals, and works to ensure nurses and midwives provide a consistently high standard of healthcare. Its main aim is to protect the health and well-being of patients under the care of midwives and nurses in the UK.
The body is responsible for setting and promoting standards of practice and education, and keeps a register of nurses and midwives whose work meets these standards. This registration is at the heart of what the organisation does. In fact, you cannot work as nurse or midwife in this country without being on the NMC’s register.
Where a member’s fitness to practise comes under question, the NMC takes appropriate action. That may mean removing a practitioner from its register, or limiting their right to work in their profession in the UK. The organisation also aims to promote the public’s confidence in the nursing and midwifery professions.
