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Welcome to the October edition.
We are delighted that on 30 September, nursing in Australia reached a historic milestone with the introduction of the Registration standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines – designated registered nurse prescriber.
This new prescribing model expands the scope of practice for endorsed registered nurses (RNs), enabling them to prescribe scheduled medicines safely and effectively. It’s a transformative step forward for the profession, and gives people greater access to safe, affordable, health care and medicines. Under the model, an RN with the endorsement is qualified to administer, obtain, possess, prescribe, supply and/or use Schedule 2, 3, 4, and 8 medicines in partnership with authorised health practitioners under a clinical governance framework, and an active prescribing agreement in line with local drugs and poisons legislation. It is a transformative step forward that will empower RNs and prioritise safe, patient centred care.
We will keep you informed as these changes take effect. You can also find more information on the NMBA website.
2025/2026 registration fees have been announced. Alongside this, a 30 per cent rebate on annual renewal fees is now available for health practitioners who take parental leave and other forms of protected leave, while a wider review of fee policies continues. More information about fees and the rebate are available below. I am also glad to share that after a productive meeting in August, the NMBA has approved an extension of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) accreditation assignment to 30 June, 2029. This means that ANMAC will continue to oversee the development of accreditation standards for a further three years. As we prepare to welcome graduates to the workforce, a reminder that graduate registration is open now. We encourage all graduates to submit their applications early to ensure a smooth transition into the workforce.
Warm regards,
Community access to high-quality medicines is being bolstered under changes that extend prescribing rights to suitably educated and qualified registered nurses (RNs).
The new prescribing model, which took effect on 30 September 2025, expands the scope of practice for endorsed RNs. This follows a decision by health ministers in December.
The NMBA has published the Registration standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines – designated registered nurse prescriber (the standard) and supporting guidelines for RNs applying for and holding the endorsement.
The NMBA and Ahpra have announced the annual registration fee for nurses and midwives for 2025/26.
From 18 September, the registration fee for nurses and midwives increased by 4.25 per cent to $193. This change is in line with indexation. The fee covers the registration period from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2027.
Variation in fees payable by NSW-based practitioners
In NSW, notifications (complaints) about registered health practitioners are managed by the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission and the NSW Health Professional Councils and not by Ahpra. The registration fee for health practitioners whose principal place of practice (PPP) is NSW reflects this difference.
The fees schedule for each profession is published on National Board websites. Any variation to the fees payable by NSW-based practitioners is announced by each NSW Health Professional Council and detailed in the published fee schedules on National Board websites.
If you’re studying to become a nurse or midwife and are about to finish your course, you can apply for registration now.
If you apply before you finish your study, we can start assessing your application while we wait for your graduate results.
Getting your application in early helps avoid any delays as you transition to the workforce.
The NMBA assessed the public safety needs related to nurses working in private practice through consultation in 2024, and concluded there are existing regulatory resources available to adequately support privately practising nurses to meet their regulatory obligations and practise safely, regardless of practice setting.
These resources, such as codes, registration standards and guidelines currently address any public safety needs without the provision of additional regulatory requirements for privately practising nurses.
If privately practising nurses emerge as a risk to the public in the future, the NMBA will reassess the safety of the public and need for additional regulation to address any risks.
The fact sheet was redrafted with input from key stakeholders across the nursing, midwifery and paramedicine professions to ensure it is contemporary and fit for purpose.
The revised fact sheet has had some minor updates to clarify requirements around recency of practice, continuing professional development and pathways for re-entry to practice. To consolidate information, the previously separate fact sheets for nurses and midwives have been combined into a single fact sheet. There have been no changes to the requirements for dual registered practitioners.
The revised Fact sheet: Dual registration with both the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and Paramedicine Board of Australia is published on the NMBA website.
Following a meeting between the NMBA and Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) in August, the NMBA has approved an extension of the ANMAC accreditation assignment to 30 June, 2029. In 2024, the NMBA initially assigned accreditation functions to ANMAC for the period 1 October 2024 – 30 June 2026, and they will continue to fill this role for an additional three years.
ANMAC is responsible for developing accreditation standards for approval by NMBA. In developing an accreditation standard, ANMAC is required to carry out wide-ranging consultation about the content of the standard.
All ANMAC accredited and NMBA approved nursing and midwifery education programs have met the requirements of the accreditation standards and enable graduates to apply for registration as a nurse or midwife or endorsement. The standards help to ensure that only suitably educated and competent nurses and midwives can register to practise in Australia
Vacancies are open for practitioner members from Queensland and South Australia on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Applications are encouraged from people in rural and remote areas, people with a disability, people who identify as LGBTIQA+ and people from culturally diverse backgrounds. Applications close 19 October.
More information about the roles, eligibility requirements and the application process can be found within the online application form on Ahpra’s Board member recruitment page.
On 23 April, the NMBA’s new Registration Standard: General Registration for Internationally Qualified Registered Nurses came into effect. The standard streamlines the assessment and registration process for eligible Internationally Qualified Registered Nurses.
A 30 per cent rebate on annual renewal fees is now available for health practitioners who take parental leave and other forms of protected leave, while a wider review of fee policies continues.
This action aims to provide financial relief for practitioners taking parental leave and other forms of protected leave such as disability and carer’s leave.
It is one step in a range of measures Ahpra and the National Boards are introducing to make registration fees more equitable, flexible and responsive.
The rebate applies to practitioners who take leave for at least six continuous months on the grounds of a protected attribute. A practitioner can claim the rebate at the next renewal after the six-month period of leave ends. Practitioners cannot apply for this rebate before the six-month period has started, or before it ends.
A wider review is currently looking at how a pro rata approach to fees can be implemented. It is expected to report by November 2025 with recommendations aimed at coming into effect by 1 July 2026.
Visit the Fee relief for parental leave and other types of leave webpage for more information and to read the full policy.
Need a receipt or tax invoice? Here’s what you need to know
Receipts or tax invoices for payments made in the 2024–25 financial year will be emailed to you directly – they won’t be available in the Ahpra portal.
If you paid after 18 March 2025
You’ll receive your receipt or tax invoice shortly after your payment via email.
If you paid between 1 July 2024 and 18 March 2025
We’ll email your receipt or tax invoice from mid-June 2025. Be sure to check both your inbox and spam/junk folder.
If you haven’t received it by mid-July, pleasesubmit an online enquiry, and let us know you need a receipt or tax invoice for the 2024–25 financial year.
Need a receipt or tax invoice for a previous year?
For payments made before July 2024, please submit an online enquiry, and specify which financial year(s) you need. We’ll email the relevant documents once we receive your request.
The NMBA has released its quarterly registration data.
Read the latest report.
People undergoing cosmetic procedures, such as injections and fillers, now have additional protections with new guidelines coming into effect on 2 September. Ahpra and National Boards have published the Guidelines for practitioners who perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures and the Guidelines for practitioners who advertise higher risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures strengthening safeguards across the industry. Under the new guidelines, many practitioners will need more than just the foundational qualifications included in their initial training before they can safely perform non-surgical procedures like cosmetic injections.
Health Ministers have released the final report of the independent review of complexity in the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (the National Scheme) with a formal response to 26 recommended actions.
Ahpra welcomed this important milestone and commends independent reviewer Sue Dawson on the work she has undertaken since being appointed to the role in April 2024.
Read the media release.
