NMBI is delighted to announce that Ursula Byrne will take up the position of Interim Chief Executive Officer, for the nursing and midwifery regulator, effective from July 2018.

Ursula Byrne is currently Director of Regulation for NMBI, and has worked for NMBI since 2000. She will act as Interim CEO until a new Chief Executive Officer is appointed.

Ursula Byrne replaces Mary Griffin, who has moved to take up the position of Under Treasurer (CEO) with King’s Inns.

Mary Griffin achieved a very active reform programme during her two years with NMBI, and NMBI wishes to thank her for her immense contribution to the organisation.

The President of NMBI Essene Cassidy said “Mary Griffin’s professional commitment to regulation, coupled with her energy and leadership skills, meant she set an ambitious vision and strategy for the organisation, and pursued them with zeal and enthusiasm. We are truly sad to see her go and wish her well in her new role.”

Removals from the Register of Nurses and Midwives took place in March 2018 following a meeting of the NMBI Board. Names were removed from the Register of Nurses and Midwives in accordance with Section 77 of the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 (the Act) for failure to pay the Annual Retention Fee for 2018.

If you were removed and do not make the restoration application on or before 1 July 2018 you must go through a new registration application process and pay your ARF and restoration fees, as per the removal letter sent to you in March 2018.

Restoration Process
You can apply to restore your name to the Register, in accordance with Section 78 of the Act on or before 1 July 2018. Please note the following important instructions:
• Please click to download the Restoration Form.
• Complete the form fully and sign it.
• Return the completed form along with the restoration fee of €250 AND pay your outstanding ARF. The restoration fee amount can be paid by completing the credit/debit card mandate on the Restoration Form or by enclosing a bank draft, postal order, or cheque. It may take up to 7 working days to process the form. Please be advised that no personal cheques or cash payments will be accepted.
• Alternatively please call our call centre on 1890 200 116.

It is your legal and professional responsibility to ensure that your name is on the Register if you practise nursing or midwifery in Ireland. It is an offence to practise nursing/midwifery if your name is not on the Register. This includes clinical practice, nursing /midwifery management, education or research.

The inactive file was established in May 1993 as an administrative mechanism to facilitate nurses and midwives who were not in active practice, for reasons including retirement, working abroad or undertaking a career break. However, there is no legislative basis under either the Nurses Act, 1985 or the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 for the inactive file.

Following a public consultation in March 2017, the NMBI Board approved a proposal to disband the inactive file. The process to disband the inactive file was agreed by the Board in May 2018 and is set out below.

Process

• Commence communication with the professions advising that the inactive file will be disbanded in 2018 and that NMBI will place all persons currently on the inactive file on the active Register from November 2018.

• These persons will be invited to pay their Annual Retention Fee (ARF) in Q4 2018 should they wish to remain on the Register in 2019 as part of the bulk mailing process for ARF 2019.

• Affected persons can choose to pay the ARF and remain on the Register, voluntarily remove from the Register or be removed for non-payment of the ARF, as part of that process in Q1 2019.

• Affected persons will have time to consider their registration in the context of impending requirements for maintenance of professional competence, and criteria for restoration as fully registered nurses and midwives, currently under review by NMBI.

Following feedback from the consultation exercise, NMBI will consider a mechanism by which former registered nurses and midwives can continue to engage with the NMBI in a manner which is compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation.