NZNO Wants Answers from Nursing Council
A group of 137 enrolled nurses have finally got justice, with the Minister of Health David Cunliffe acting on the
recommendation of the Regulations Review Committee (RRC), made last year, that these nurses, who trained between 2000
and September 18, 2004, be called enrolled nurses.
In an historic move, the Minister tabled a notice of motion in Parliament today (September 10) revoking that part of the
Nursing Council’s regulation changing the title of these nurses from enrolled nurse to nurse assistant.
“The Minister should be congratulated on this action, after the Nursing Council refused to act on the RRC’s
recommendation, even after the Minister wrote to the Council asking it to change the title for these nurses. Finally
these nurses have got justice. This is the first time the House has taken such action against a regulatory authority
under the Regulations (Disallowance) Act, so it is a very significant action. This is an important issue for nursing.
The Nursing Council needs to understand it is accountable and cannot act beyond the powers and authority conferred on it
by Parliament,” New Zealand Nurses Organisation Chief Executive Geoff Annals said today.
In 2004, the Nursing Council changed the title of enrolled nurses trained after 2000 to nurse assistant. The 137 nurses
had begun their training or had graduated, believing their title was enrolled nurse. The RRC said the Council’s title
change was retrospective in its effect and recommended the Council should rescind its decision in relation to this group
of nurses. The Council has refused to do so.
Annals said the Council’s refusal to act on the RRC’s recommendation and the fact the Minister felt compelled to force
the change, is an embarrassment for the Nursing Council. “We don’t understand why the Council refused to act on the
recommendation and we want answers from our profession’s regulatory body. All nurses have to have confidence that the
Council will act fairly towards nurses in exercising its public safety mandate. In this case it patently did not,”
Annals said.
ends