National Assembly hears first reading of Nurses and Midwives Bill

Nov 01, 2018 News

Nurses and midwives who fail to renew their expired licences within a period of three months will be subjected to a fine. This is according to a clause etched into the Nurses and Midwives Bill 2018, which was read for the first time yesterday in the National Assembly by Senior Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence.

According to the Explanatory Memorandum of the Bill, while expired licences may be renewed, delaying to do so will see a fine being imposed on the nursing professionals.

The proposed legislation also seeks to make provision for the registration and regulation of midwives, nurses, and nursing assistants.

Once the Bill is passed into law, it will also govern the establishment of a Nurses and Midwives Council and sets out the functions and powers of the Council.

Additionally, it will seek to address the terms of the members of the Council as well as the provision for meetings.

Further, part four of the six-part Bill speaks to the requirement for registration, either in part or temporary, and licensing before a person practises nursing, including specialist nursing, or midwifery.

It also sets out the application process for registration and a person’s entitlement on registration and details the application process for licensing. It however also states that issuance of a licence may even be refused and a valid licence may be revoked or suspended.

The Bill makes provision for re-registration and also appeal against a decision on suspension, revocation or non-renewal of a licence. It also makes provision for registers to be kept by the Council and also for a list of nursing and midwifery personnel who have been licensed to be published in the Gazette yearly.

Once introduced into law, the Bill will guide the establishment of a disciplinary committee and sets out its composition and procedure.

Further it states in the Explanatory Memorandum it states, “Provision is made for a person aggrieved by a nursing personnel’s act of professional misconduct to make a complaint to the committee.” Moreover, it provides that where a complaint is made the committee shall submit a report to the Council and make recommendations.

Additionally, the Bill states that disciplinary action may be taken against nursing personnel convicted of an offence. It therefore provides that a person’s name may be removed from the register by the Council or on request by the nursing personnel.

Further disciplinary action, the Bill notes, may be taken where a nursing personnel has been convicted of an offence or is guilty of grave professional misconduct.

The existing Nurses’ Bill, which governs the training and employment of nurses and midwives, has been made law since 1942. However, under the proposed changes, nurses would have the opportunity to study and upgrade their careers through tertiary education and other studies.
The Public Health Minister had explained to the Department of Public Information in September that special attention will be given to training and academic elevation of all staff.

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