05/07/2012
NMC urgent information on fees increase have your say
On the 24th August the NMC will close its consultation on the proposed fee increase from £76.00 to £120 per annum, in addition they want to move towards an annual inflationary level increase. This will directly affect all nurses and midwives, who are already facing a pay freeze and pension contribution increases. To help UNISON formulate its submission to this consultation we are conducting an online survey - it will take you three minutes to complete.
Please go now to the survey and tell us what you think https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NMC_fee_increase
It's also important that the NMC hears directly from you about their proposals, they are only asking two questions so it will be really quick for you to tell them https://www.snapsurveys.com/sol1/swh/surveylogin.asp?k=133838818964
On the 3rd July the Council for Regulatory Healthcare Excellence published a damming report on the NMC stating it was failing at every level, you can read the report in full at http://www.chre.org.uk/media/18/484/
UNISON welcomed the report and called for its findings to be implemented urgently and in full. However we also reflected on the reports concern about financial management at the NMC and have publically said that registrants should not have to pay for the NMC failings to manage its own finances. You can read our report in full at http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2743
Despite everything which is happening at the NMC it's important to remember that the staff there are as much a victim in this as registrants are. They were failed by successive managers. The difference is that the acting chief executive and chair are ready to accept and admit mistakes, the fact that the NMC immediately apologised for the organisations failings is already a healthy sign of change. You can read their statement in full at http://www.nmc-uk.org/Press-and-media/Latest-news/NMC-responds-to-CHRE-reports/
Finally we cannot ignore that the NMC has since 2008 been under special measures, so Government in our opinion cannot wipe its hands of this problem they must intervene, hard working low paid nurses and midwives cannot and should not pay for mistakes which were not of their making or their knowledge. The NMC have made it clear that must have a fee increase if they are to maintain their public protection duties, this year they expect their fitness to practise cases will amount to 43 million, the NMC annual income is 52 million, a solution must be found from somewhere - were not saying they shouldn't have the money simply that it should not come from registrants. We are also asking members to support the parliamentary petition which was started by a group of nurses, a social movement wanting a responsible intervention make your you add yours now at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/34101
Finally we have created an NMC web site on off of the nursing page, please keep an eye on this sight as more information becomes available we will post it here, we are now working on a parliamentary letter which in the click of two buttons you can send to your MP. They work for you so make sure yours knows about the impact that this increase will have on you http://www.unison.org.uk/healthcare/pages_view.asp?did=14502
