The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has announced that starting April 1st they will implement changes to the costs if the Overseas Nurse registration process, reducing it by over 20%.
“The change, which we agreed with the organisations who provide the test, will reduce the cost of the computer-based test from £130 to £90; the full cost of the practical examination from £992 to £794 and the resit cost of the practical examination from £496 to £397.”
The changes announced are tremendous improvements that will make it easier for international nurses looking to relocate and practice in the UK.
Another relevant change is the extension to 5 years (2 years before the change) for the period recognised to the Trained in English route for meeting the English requirement for registration.
“If you completed an NMC-approved pre-registration nurse, midwife or nursing associate programme within the last five years, we will accept this as evidence that you have the necessary knowledge of English.
f you did not complete an NMC-approved pre-registration nurse, midwife or nursing associate programme we need to be satisfied that your programme demonstrates that you have the necessary knowledge of English.
- If you completed your programme in a majority English-speaking country within the last five years you will need to demonstrate that your programme meets the requirements set out in our guidance by providing evidence which meets our criteria.
- If you completed your programme in a non-majority English-speaking country within the last five years you will need to demonstrate that your programme meets the requirements set out in our guidance by providing evidence which meets our criteria. We will consider your evidence but please be aware that it is likely that you will need to provide an alternative type of evidence such as a language test.
Your evidence must confirm that the programme was composed of at least 50 percent clinical interaction. Your evidence must also clearly demonstrate at least 75 percent of that was with patients, service users, their families and other healthcare professionals and must have taken place in English.”
XML Healthcare supports the announced changes and views them as another step in the right direction for supporting the UK Healthcare workforce.