Kim Irvine

Hi everyone,

Haven't posted in a bit as have been busy e-mailing as many people as possible here in Australia re my/our situation.

For those of you new to the thread I'm a Diploma trained Nurse (Mental Health) waiting since Oct re registration. I've been living in Melbourne since March on a PR 190 State Sponsored Visa. I like many others went into my AHPRA application unaware of the imminent changes and when I found out (months post application) assumed I would be ok due to the ANMAC assessment.

So, 9 months down the line I'm still waiting for my answer....

From all the info I've read on all the Facebook pages, forums etc I haven't heard of any Diploma Nurses getting registration under the new guidelines, only of those being turned down. I know of Degree applicants who applied as recently as Jan (and good luck to them) who have had their letters, so that in itself speaks volumes.......

I have spoken to many Nurses, recruitment agents, Managers etc etc and they are ignorant to all of this and very shocked and disappointed, with all commenting on the great calibre of Nurses trained in the UK and Ireland.

Your comment Maria Garland re the NMC sending info re British registrations is interesting??

Good luck as always to everybody! xx

Same with me!!

It seems those getting registered are hearing sooner, as aforementioned after 4 months (lucky duck)......8 1/2 months later so far for me

I've just saw that and read all the info.....interesting......serious ass covering!!

I e-mailed my AHPRA C.O re all the concerns and she replied saying that different types of UK qualifications = different time frames and types of assessments. She said some inc mine will be assessed internally, others will go up for consideration to the Nursing and Midwifery board and some to an internal committee of the board?? The assessment is to determine, regardless of ANMAC it appears, if our qualifications are comparable to an Australian degree. She hopes I'll have my answer within 2 weeks.......watch this space!!

Haha thanks! I know it's all really confusing! It sounds like ahpra have gone ahead and changed the assessment process without informing anyone because no one else seems to be aware of it! I know what u mean about the announcement they made about applications after the 8th were going to be reviewed under the new assessment process but no one was aware of this before hand. If that was the case they should've informed everyone well in advance! Plus it wasn't finalised until February so any applications before that date should be assessed under the old rules! I sent mine off on September and was totally unaware of any changes!

Agreed....hence the cart before the horse quote lol. Made the changes, people kept unknowingly applying and then weeks/months after receipt of application.....wham they tell you about it!!!

Well I emailed the AQF about the framework and this was the reply

 

UNCLASSIFIED

 

 

Dear Claire

 

This Office is a policy office and does not establish the equivalence of overseas qualifications with AQF qualifications or deal with professional (nursing) accreditation matters .

That is undertaken by Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) at: http://www.anmac.org.au/about-anmac

ANMAC is the appropriate body to contact with regard to your query.

Kind regards

Victor Korobacz

DIRECTOR (POLICY)

AUSTRALIAN QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORK COUNCIL

 

 

Dont anmac assess a diploma as an equivalent to an Australian degree??? And didn't someone have a different reply saying it was TRA that dealt with it? I'm so confused!!

ANMAC also assessed my Diploma as equivalent to an Australian Bachelors Degree. The TRA direct you to your appropriate skills assessment for your trade......ours being ANMAC.......seriously??????

I have sent them all kinds of information in regards to my course content. they had proof that I had done over 600 hours on placement, proof that I was competent in medication management, they had a transcript and a letter from my uni confirming everything they requested and I still got knocked back.

 

Just letting you all know that I have been in touch with the health minister for south Australia and they have said they cant help me with it because AHPRA are an independent body. So I got in touch with the Federal MP's office in Canberra (Peter Dutton) and spoke to a woman there about my situation. At first she said that there was nothing they could do to change the assessment process but when I explained that AHPRA received my form in October and that the new assessment process was not introduced until February she immediately changed her tune and told me to write an email explaining my situation and she would get someone to look into it for me. I've contacted the local MP in my area and they have said to send the email to them as well and they will look into it for me too. Oh and I've sent an email to Adelaide's local TV channel (Adelaide tonight channel 7) explaining how we're all being treated so badly by AHPRA!! I don't know if any of this is going to help the situation were all in at the minute but I feel like I need to do something so I know that I have tried. Hopefully the people who handed their forms in before the new assessment process was introduced will have this reviewed.....I doubt it but I'm going to try anyway!

 

I suggest that if you are in a similar situation to me that you contact the Federal MP, if they receive a few emails they may feel like they have to investigate it further. The federal MP's email address is minister.dutton@health.gov.au his name is Peter Dutton.

 

I'll keep you all posted!

You go girl!!! The more negative publicity and people complaining the better....once I get my, undoubtedly negative reply I will be taking action too. AHPRA will argue that they did state (albeit cart before the horse and all that) that any applications received after the 8th Oct would be assessed under the new guidelines albeit they weren't implemented until Feb. Irrespective it's the whole ANMAC v AHPRA and allowing people to spend $$$$ on skills assessments and the visa process.....all for nothing. Major scam and seriously unethical!! grrrrrrr

My application was received on the 21st Oct....wonder if I'll hear soon.....yet there are posts of people being turned down who applied in Jan.....no order or equity!!??

Hi. I have a diploma only as I qualified back in 1993. I came out on a parent visa and assumed, as told by AMNAC, that my qualification would be approved here. I applied in January and have now been told by AHPRA it is only equivalent to a level 5 and I need to retrain as an EN for 18mths! The TAFE colleges will take into account prior learning and because I have been here for under a year I can get reduced costs. from $22500 down to £10500. You can only do a bridging course if assessed at level 6. It is a joke. I trained for 3 years. The ENs here for only 18months. how is this equivalent? I was expecting to be told I needed some kind of a training programme to make sure I knew about Australian legislation etc. but not this. Working as an AIN for an agency and may have to do that for the next 10 years unless something or someone can change their minds.

That was a very quick response given lots of applicants inc myself have been waiting much longer?!

I'm sure your gutted....bloody joke the whole thing!

I'll be joining you in November Kim! I'm not going to let AHPRA ruin the dream I've been working towards for more than 3 years!

I really do hope the press pick up on it. At expos and recruitment drives, it's all about how Oz have enough newly qualified nurses, and wanted to recruit more experienced nurses! It's just madness!

That's correct, they love experienced UK nurses here and those I have spoken to def don't know about all this chaos....I have the details of my local councils mental health minister and if I don't get registered I will be contacting her!

And many have already received PR visas and emigrated on the basis of the ANMAC assessment. But unable to work because AHPRA don't agree! Unless you have a UK degree already Barwick?

I'm 1 of them, living here on a 190 visa since March! Application received 21/10/14, currently in Sydney office being 'finalised'. Would be home except hubby got a great job and is supporting our family.

It's gonna end up going down the legal and/or press route!! The employers, agencies etc are not aware of any of this! Nightmare....

Is it a guy on this thread that rang AHPRA and was told Diploma applicants are wasting their time.....shocking stuff

Also, so AHPRA direct you to AQF for criteria 4 and then they direct you to TRA who when you go on to their website direct you to ANMAC....tell me I'm going mad!!!

Hi Everyone,

AHPRA received my application on the 21st October and I've yet to hear back re registration. I am University Diploma qualified Registered Nurse with 14 years experience (Mental Health) and I am currently living in Melbourne since March on a PR State Sponsored 190 Visa, due to my job (oh the irony). Only for the fact my hubby got a great job and is supporting the family we'd be home.

I applied to the Melbourne office but my application is currently in Sydney being 'finalised', I was told a month ago it would be at least another 2 months, they have all relevant/requested paperwork.......watch this space!

Kim