May 2026

Contents

• Chair’s message
• Board news
  • Webinar: Designated registered nurse prescribing: Pathway to practice
  • If you haven’t already renewed, time is running out
• Spotlight
  • Advance copy of revised Criminal history registration standard now available
  • Our work to eliminating racism and discrimination in healthcare
• Have your say
  • Proposed changes to CPD and recency of practice registration standards
  • Review of the NMBA Registration standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines for midwives
  • Review of the Safety and quality guidelines for privately practising midwives
• Keep in touch with the NMBA

Chair’s message

Welcome to the May edition of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) newsletter.

Over the past couple of months, I met with several key national organisations. These meetings are an important part of our ongoing engagement approach and help the Board strengthen relationships, test policy directions, and identify emerging regulatory risks.

Across these discussions, there was a strong focus on priorities shaping the future of regulation and practice, including the National Scheme Strategy 2031 and the implementation of designated registered nurse prescribing. We also discussed sexual misconduct regulatory changes, cultural safety initiatives, and workforce sustainability.

Stakeholders also provided input on a range of current policy reviews, including the Enrolled Nurse and Registered Nurse standards for practice, the Fact sheet on nurses and midwives with an endorsement, the Endorsement for scheduled medicines for midwives, and the Safety and quality guidelines for privately practising midwives. These conversations are helping to inform our work and ensure our regulatory documents remain fit for purpose.

It’s important you contribute your voice to these conversations, so in this issue, we’re highlighting consultations that are out for feedback, in particular the proposed changes to the CPD and recency of practice standards. I also encourage you to register for our webinar on designated RN prescribing, to learn more about the pathway to practise and what’s happening next.

Warm regards

Adjunct Professor Veronica Casey AM
Chair, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia

Board news

Webinar: Designated registered nurse prescribing: Pathway to practice

If you want to learn more about the NMBA’s new Endorsement for scheduled medicines - designated RN prescriber, join our webinar.

On Monday 29 June, the Board is hosting a webinar for registered nurses interested in finding out more about designated registered nurse prescribing. Presentations will provide an overview of the prescribing model, requirements of the registration standard, and give an update on key implementation activities.

Register for the webinar

If you haven’t already renewed, time is running out

For those of you who haven’t renewed your registration yet, you will have recently received another email from Ahpra reminding you to jump online before 31 May. If you hold dual registration and you plan to continue being registered as both a nurse and a midwife, make sure you renew both. Anyone holding endorsements will also need to make sure they are renewed. You can double-check you’ve completed your renewal correctly by searching the Register of practitioners.

NEW step-by-step guide to help you log in and renew

The Ahpra portal help centre has been updated with fresh guides to help you log in and renew. Visit How to renew for instructions and videos, including help navigating your renewal’s online privacy statement.

Ahpra’s top tip for quick and easy registration renewal

If you’ve changed phones or deleted your multifactor authenticator (MFA) app and can’t get into your portal, use Ahpra’s web enquiry form and the Customer Service team will reset your MFA app without you needing to call. They can usually get the reset done within one business day. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the web enquiry form and choose ‘Reset my MFA’ from the drop-down menu.
2. The Customer Support team will need to verify your identity, so please include at least four points of identification: full name, date of birth, mobile number, email address and residential address.
3. You will get an email you when once your MFA has been reset. You can now set up your MFA app using the instructions in the portal help centre.

First time renewing

Don’t forget that all graduate need to renew their registration, regardless of how long you were registered for during the previous 12 months. Check the Register of practitioners if you are not sure when your registration is due for renewal.

Renew your registration today!

Spotlight

Advance copy of revised Criminal history registration standard now available

Ahpra and the National Boards have published an advance copy of the updated Criminal history registration standard on Ahpra’s website. This will give practitioners and registration applicants an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the changes before they come into effect on 15 July 2026.

The standard guides the Boards in deciding how a person’s criminal history may affect their suitability for registration as a health practitioner. The standard also includes a new factor that considers the impacts that racism and systemic inequity have on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and the implications of this on someone’s criminal history.

Our work to eliminating racism and discrimination in healthcare

Ahpra has developed a new hub to track the National Scheme’s response to racism and discrimination, including antisemitism. It includes the six-month update to health ministers and links to useful practitioner resources including the Code of conduct, guidance on how to meet your obligations as a health practitioner on social media, and independent support services.

Visit the anti-racism hub

Have your say

Proposed changes to CPD and recency of practice registration standards

Ahpra and 14 of the National Boards are looking for your feedback on proposed changes to the recency of practice and continuing professional development (CPD) registration standards.

If you are registered and practising, you must meet recency of practice and CPD standards to renew your registration. The standards make sure that you have practised the profession recently and continue to develop your knowledge and skills throughout your career.

The revised standards align requirements across professions and propose that practitioners must complete:

• 150 hours of practice in the last year or 450 hours of practice in last three years
• 20 hours of CPD every year, including 5 hours of interactive CPD
• 10 extra hours of CPD for practitioners with additional technical or profession-specific skills, such as a scheduled medicines endorsement
• CPD that helps improve patient outcomes and draws on available evidence.

We’re seeking feedback from practitioners, members of the public and other stakeholders to help make sure the standards support safe healthcare and a sustainable health workforce.

Public consultation is now open and will close 17 July 2026.

To read our consultation paper and provide feedback on the draft standards, visit the Ahpra consultations webpage.

Review of the NMBA Registration standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines for midwives

Don’t forget, you have until Friday 5 June to have your say on the Registration standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines for midwives and newly proposed Guidelines: Endorsement for scheduled medicines for midwives.

Review of the Safety and quality guidelines for privately practising midwives

You have until 5 June to give your feedback on the Safety and quality guidelines for privately practising midwives to reflect the ending PII exemption for privately practising midwives and make sure the guidelines are remain current, evidence-based and fit for purpose.

Keep in touch with the NMBA