The Scottish Greens have called on the Scottish Government to demonstrate its appreciation for Scotland’s nurses by covering their 2020 professional registration fees.
Nurses and midwives in Scotland are required to pay an annual registration fee of £120 to the Nursing and Midwifery Council, but Scottish Greens Parliamentary Co-Leader Alison Johnstone MSP has called on the First Minister to cover that cost this year as a small token of appreciation for the role these professionals are playing in the fight against coronavirus.
Alison Johnstone MSP said: “All across the country nurses and midwives have gone above and beyond during this crisis. From supporting young families, to comforting dying patients whose loved ones cannot be with them, these dedicated professionals play an essential role in the fight against coronavirus.
“It becomes more evident every day how crucial frontline health and care staff are to our communities, and there are rightly calls for a review of how we remunerate all our health and care workers who have put themselves at risk to protect us.
“One modest measure the Scottish Government could take immediately to show a small token of appreciation to our nurses and midwives is to cover their professional registration fees.
“Covering the £120 fee payable by nurses and midwives to the Nursing and Midwifery Council for 2020 would be a small gesture, but one that I’m sure would be most welcomed.
“Quite rightly those retired professionals who have been called back to support our NHS during this crisis have not been charged registration fees, and it would be fitting if this consideration was shown across the board.”
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