Gazette.govt.nzPursuant to sections 130—133 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, the following notice is given.
Notice
1. Title and Commencement
This notice may be cited as the Nursing Council of New Zealand (Fees) Notice 2022. This notice revokes and replaces all previous Nurses (Fees) notices.
2. Fees and Levies
The Nursing Council of New Zealand (“council”) sets the following fees and levies, payable to the council, specified in the attached Schedule. All fees and levies are non-refundable.
3. Tax
The fees are inclusive of goods and services tax.
4. Rationale
An increase of $20 in the annual practising certificate fee is required to support the regulatory functions of the council. The disciplinary levy has been increased as a proportion of the fee to support the increase in disciplinary costs. See the explanatory note below.
Schedule
Fees and Levies Payable
| $ | Effective | |
| Annual and interim practising certificates (including disciplinary levy): | ||
| 12 months (includes $33.00 disciplinary levy) | 130.00 | 1 July 2022 |
| 3 months or any part thereof (includes $8.25 disciplinary levy) | 32.50 | 1 July 2022 |
| 6 months or any part thereof (includes $16.50 disciplinary levy) | 65.00 | 1 July 2022 |
| 9 months or any part thereof (includes $24.75 disciplinary levy) | 97.50 | 1 July 2022 |
| Registration fees: For applicants qualified in New Zealand: | ||
| Registration as registered nurse or enrolled nurse | 75.00 | 1 January 2012 |
| Application for registration as nurse practitioner | 1,500.00 | 1 April 2012 |
| Nurse Practitioner prescribing authorisation | 1,000.00 | 1 April 2012 |
| Restoration of name to the Register following cancellation of registration under Part 4 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 or Part IV of the Nurses Act 1977 | 3,000.00 | 1 July 2011 |
| Additions to Register (including authorisations) | 70.00 | 1 July 2011 |
| Application for change of condition in scope of practice | 200.00 | 1 July 2011 |
| Registration Fees: For applicants qualified overseas: | ||
| Application and processing fee for application for registration | 485.00 | 14 October 2019 |
| Application and processing fee for application for registration (under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997) | 340.00 | 1 July 2015 |
| Provision of information on register: | ||
| Verification of education programme | 70.00 | 1 July 2011 |
| Verification of New Zealand registration | 70.00 | 1 July 2011 |
| Other fees (registration): | ||
| Medal replacement – registered and/or enrolled nurse | 70.00 | 1 July 2011 |
| Medal new graduate – registered nurse | 26.00 | 1 July 2011 |
| Medal new graduate – enrolled nurse | 17.00 | 1 July 2011 |
| Examination fees: | ||
| Registered nurse and enrolled nurse (includes New Zealand registration fee) | 240.00 | 1 January 2012 |
| Analysis of failed examination | 79.00 | 1 January 2012 |
| Extension of time | 10.00 | 1 January 2012 |
| Fees for education programmes: | ||
| Accreditation or monitoring audit of post-graduate nursing programme | 13,900.00 | 1 January 2014 |
| Accreditation or monitoring audit of programme leading to registration as a registered nurse | 13,900.00 | 1 January 2014 |
| Accreditation or monitoring audit of enrolled nurse programme | 8,700.00 | 1 January 2014 |
| Accreditation or monitoring audit of competence assessment programme | 3,000.00 | 1 April 2011 |
Annual Practising Certificate Fee and Disciplinary Levy Increases
The previous (APC) fee levels, including both the base fee and a levy to fund fitness to practise processes, were set in 2011 and have not increased since that time. These fees comprise approximately two-thirds of Council’s income.
The proposed increase in the APC fee reflects the rising costs to the council of fulfilling its statutory obligations. It also ensures the council has the appropriate reserves to be financially sustainable. The base APC fee has not increased in the past 10 years, while costs have continued to grow and can be expected to rise in the future.
Cost increases to the council arise from sources such as inflation, improving services and systems, and increasing obligations/ duties imposed by statute or expected by stakeholders. Recent work on appropriate financial reserves required by the council also supports an APC increase; this includes the need to fund expected financial deficits (losses) for the 2022, 2023, and 2024 financial years.
Rationale for proposed changes to the disciplinary levy.
The disciplinary levy funds the costs arising out of professional conduct committee investigations and the proceedings of the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. The number and complexity of disciplinary cases is increasing, and this is expected to continue through 2022.
In setting the new proposed levy, the council has taken a conservative but prudent approach that should ensure usual disciplinary costs are adequately covered, while remaining aware that specific one-off cases can result in high costs.
Dated at Wellington this 8th day of March 2022.
CATHERINE BYRNE, Registrar, Nursing Council of New Zealand.