NZNA_AnnualReport2017_280817_v10_small

2017 

Annual 

Report 

For the Year Ended 31 March

Contents 

Our Values, Vision and Mission 4 

Report from the Chair 6 

Members of the Nursing Council 8 

Report from the Chief Executive and Registrar 10 

The Senior Management Team 12 

1. Highlights, Strategic Goals and Projects 

2017 Key Data 16 

2017 Achievement Highlights 19 

Strategic Goals and Projects 2016–2017 20 

2. Setting and Maintaining Nursing Standards 

Prescribing Qualifications and 

Education Programme Standards 26 

Key Results 2016–2017 26 

The Role of the Council 27 

Scopes of Practice 27 

Accrediting and Monitoring Nursing 

Education Programmes 28 

State Final Examination 30 

Continuing Competence 31 



The Continuing Competence Framework 32 

3. Managing the New Zealand Register of Nurses 



Registration 37 

Annual Practising Certificates 41 

4. Assuring Fitness to Practise 

Management of Concerns about Competence, 

Health and Conduct 44 


Competence Reviews 45 


Response to Notifications of Competence Concerns 45 

Competence Inquiries and Reviews 46 

Health Reviews 48 


Complaints and Discipline 51 


Professional Conduct Committees 52 

Health Practitioners Disciplinary 

Tribunal Prosecutions 55 

Charges of Professional Misconduct 

Prosecuted in 2016–2017 56 

5. Corporate Services 

The Role of Corporate Services 60 

Stakeholder Engagement 61 

Corporate Functions 63 

6.Financial Statements 

Statement of Financial Position 68 

Cashflow Statement 69 

Notes to the Financial Statements 70 

Auditor’s Report 81

Our Values, 

Vision and Mission 

The Nursing Council of 

New Zealand is pleased to 

present this report for the 

year ending 31 March 2017 

to the Minister of Health. 

The report is presented in 

accordance with section 134 

of the Health Practitioners 

Competence Assurance Act 

2003 (HPCA Act). This Act 

governs the activities of 

the Council. 

The purpose of the Act is to protect 

the health and safety of members of 

the public by providing for mechanisms 

to ensure that health practitioners are 

competent and fit to practise their 

professions (HPCA Act, Part 1, 

section 3(1)). 

The Nursing Council of New Zealand 

is guided by the principles of the 

Treaty of Waitangi – Protection, 

Partnership, Participation. 

Vision 

Enabling workforce excellence 

Mission 

Protecting public safety 

through effective regulation 

of nursing 

Values 

Collaboration, Excellence, 

Innovation, Transparency, 

Courage 

4 | The Nursing Council of New Zealand

Annual Report 2017 | 5

Report from the 

Chair 

Catherine Byrne 

The 2016-2017 year has seen the achievement 

of some significant and historic milestones 

and I want to start this report by marking and 

celebrating those successes. 

The introduction of registered nurse 

prescribing for long-term and common 

health conditions is a major advance 

which improves access to medicines and 

nursing care for vulnerable populations. 

Building on the success of diabetes 

nurse prescribing, it has been a long time 

in the planning and it was exciting to 

see regulations enabling this passed in 

September 2016 (see p 29). 

In March 2017 a broadened scope of 

practice for nurse practitioners came into 

effect, following a three-year review. The 

new scope empowers our most highly 

qualified and skilled nurses to respond 

with more flexibility to the increasingly 

complex health needs of people who 

frequently present with more than one 

chronic health condition (see p 21). 

These changes are good examples of 

responsive regulation. 

We work in a fast-changing healthcare 

environment, with new technologies 

constantly emerging and demand 

increasing for more flexible models of 

healthcare. There is a lot of discussion in 

the regulatory environment about how we 

respond to preserve safety in the midst of 

such fast-paced change. The importance 

of creating regulation that is futureproofed 

– fit for the future – is a global 

regulatory issue. 

As the regulator, we must ensure we 

facilitate, rather than inhibit, changes in 

professional nursing practice to better 

meet public need. At the same time, our 

focus must be steadily and unwaveringly 

on public safety. Public safety and the 

standards required to ensure nurses 

provide safe and competent care are 

always at the core of our work. 

We need to create strong but 

flexible frameworks, which 

provide both the profession 

and the public with a clear 

understanding of the competent 

and professional conduct that 

nurses are expected to deliver. 

Our work of setting standards could not 

be done without the commitment of the 

nursing profession, professional leaders 

and our key stakeholders throughout 

the country. The policies we develop 

are shaped and changed in response to 

consultation. A clear example of that is 

the work we have undertaken to develop 

a further level of community prescribing. 

We were told that this required more 

thought around the education standards 

for nurses prescribing at this level. We 

listened. As a result this has evolved 

into a trial developed in association with 

partners working in the community 

(see p 22). 


We are very appreciative of the input of 

our stakeholders – we could not do our 

work on our own. This contribution to, 

and engagement with, our work helps us 

ensure that by the time new policies and 

standards are introduced there is good 

support for them. 

This brings me to another 

important piece of work 

finished in the past year – 

the development of our new 

strategic plan setting out our 

goals and priorities through 

to 2022. 

This is based on our analysis of the current 

and future healthcare environment and 

its impact on nursing practice. It flows out 

of what we have achieved over the past 

three years and looks to how we wish to 

proceed for the future. 

As I have indicated, with the value 

we place on our engagement with 

stakeholders, collaboration has long been 

a value of the Council. In our new plan 

we position the enhancement of national, 

global and interdisciplinary collaboration 

as one of our four key strategic priorities. 

International links become more critical 

with the ongoing development of a global 

nursing workforce. In October 2016, with 

two other Councillors, I attended a series 

of international regulator meetings hosted 

by the National State Boards of Nursing 

in Chicago. 

The desire for more streamlined and 

coordinated work across jurisdictions, 

with the bold aim of developing some 

kind of global regulation in the future, is 

a common theme amongst regulators. 

There are obvious gains to be made in 

terms of improving flexibility, mobility 

and most importantly best practice 

efficiency. However we must also be 

mindful of diversity. 

Interdisciplinary collaboration is a growing 

trend, with the Government in New 

Zealand, as elsewhere, seeking greater 

integration between care provided to 

people in hospitals and in the community. 

We are starting to see nurses leading 

and coordinating care. They are working 

in teams with other health professionals 

and also the social sector to ensure that 

care plans are truly getting the best 

outcomes for people and are not simply 

working from a health paradigm. There 

is also more focus in nursing practice on 

prevention and early detection to avoid 

unnecessary or early deaths. 

These changes need to be reflected 

in our regulatory frameworks. As the 

regulator, we have to make sure that 

our future nurses are educated and 

prepared to work in this new way, in 

multidisciplinary teams. We need to 

ensure that our standards are shaped 

in ways that support nurses to address 

health disparities and get better 

outcomes for all. This may mean that 

different competencies are required 

of future nurses as they register. Our 

strategic plan signals that we will be 

reviewing the registered nurse scope 

of practice in coming years. 

As nursing practice evolves, so too must 

we as an organisation. “We lead, learn and 

improve” is a core value for the Council 

articulated in the strategic plan. It is 

particularly close to my heart. 

Despite change and challenge, nursing 

remains a rewarding and privileged role. 

Nurses care for people when they are 

at their most vulnerable. No matter how 

much technology advances, it is the care 

and compassion shown by nurses that 

distinguishes our profession apart. This 

care is evidence based, compassionate, 

and tailored and responsive to individual 

and family needs. 

That nurses do deliver quality care is 

evidenced by the very low number of 

notifications we receive expressing 

concern or complaining about the 

competence, health or conduct of nurses 

in New Zealand. We publicly report on 

all the notifications received and the 

outcome of our investigations. This is 

important for both transparency and 

accountability – values we hold at the 

heart of our organisation. The public can 

have confidence that any nurse registered 

to practise in New Zealand meets high 

standards of skill, knowledge and ethical 

conduct. I thank all nurses working for their 

ongoing commitment to public safety. 

I also wish to thank Council members 

– we have had a stable and productive 

year with no changes around the Board 

table. Finally I want to thank our highly 

respected Chief Executive and Registrar 

for her intelligent and reflective leadership 

of our organisation. 


Members of the 

Nursing Council 

Catherine 

Byrne 

Chair 

Dr Kathryn 

Holloway 

Catherine has been the Chairperson of the 

Nursing Council since 2015. During this 

time she has been instrumental in leading 

the development of the Nursing Council's 

Strategic Plan 2017-2022, with an emphasis 

on right touch regulation. Catherine is the 

Director of Nursing at Taranaki District 

Health Board and has had a varied career 

in both nursing practice and nursing 

leadership. Catherine is well experienced 

with the leadership of system-wide change 

initiatives and remains focused on the 

safety of the public through practice 

standards and nursing regulation. 

Catherine was first elected to the Council 

in 2009, and was successful in the 

following two elections. Catherine has 

completed a Master of Nursing. 

Dr Kathryn Holloway is currently the 

Director of the Graduate School of 

Nursing, Midwifery and Health at Victoria 

University of Wellington. She is co-chair 

of the Board of the College of Nurses 

Aotearoa (NZ) as well as being a Fellow 

of the College. She was a member of the 

Ministry of Health expert advisory group 

for the 2015 review and update of the New 

Zealand Health Strategy. A registered 

nurse who originally trained at Wellington 

Polytechnic, Kathy completed her 

Doctorate in 2011. Through her academic 

research and global engagement Kathy 

is involved in clarifying the potential of 

nursing expertise to improve the patient 

experience and inform workforceplanning 

models. She was appointed 

to the Council by the Minister of Health 

in July 2015. 

Dr Jo Ann 

Walton 

Deputy Chair 

To’a Fereti 

Joanne 

Hopson 

Dr Jo Ann Walton is Professor of 

Nursing at the Graduate School of 

Nursing, Midwifery and Health at Victoria 

University of Wellington. Her nursing 

background encompasses a range 

of academic and clinical posts, along 

with experience in governance and 

management in the education sector. She 

was first elected to the Council in 2011 

and was successful again in the 2014 

elections. She has been the Deputy Chair 

since 2013. 

To’a Fereti, who is currently the Clinical 

Nurse Director for the Division of 

Medicine and Clinical Support Services at 

Counties Manukau Health, has had a long 

and distinguished career as a nurse. To’a’s 

specialty is in renal and haemodialysis and 

she has worked in a variety of roles in this 

field. She is also interested in Pacific health 

and workforce issues. To’a has a Master of 

Nursing degree and is now undertaking a 

Doctorate of Health Sciences at Auckland 

University of Technology. She was 

appointed to the Council by the 

Minister of Health in mid-2014. 

Joanne Hopson completed her Bachelor 

of Nursing at the Southern Institute of 

Technology and completed her Master 

of Health Sciences in Advanced Nursing 

through the University of Auckland. 

Her areas of expertise are cardiology, 

emergency and post-anaesthetic 

recovery. She has worked in many 

different areas of nursing in New Zealand 

and Australia. Joanne was elected to the 

Council following the 2014 elections. 


Tania Kemp 

Patricia 

Seymour 

OBE 

Tania Kemp is from Pitt Island in the 

Chatham Islands. Her whakapapa is 

Ngā Mahanga A Tairi, Taranaki. She is a 

nurse practitioner and owns the Pleasant 

Point Health Centre in South Canterbury. 

Tania has worked in primary healthcare 

in rural and remote areas around New 

Zealand for the past 20 years and is a 

South Island representative on the New 

Zealand Rural General Practice Network. 

She has a special interest in clinical 

mentoring of undergraduate nurses and 

nurse practitioner candidates. Tania was 

appointed to the Council by the Minister 

of Health in 2015. 

Patricia Seymour has been involved in 

health and education from an advocacy 

perspective for more than 40 years. 

Initially involved with Plunket following 

the birth of her children, she has also 

chaired hospital and health boards and 

the Early Childhood Development Unit, 

and supported conservation via the 

QEII National Trust. She is currently the 

Chair of Environment and Policy for the 

Gisborne District Council and chairs the 

District Licensing Committee. Pat has a 

Diploma of Business Studies, Endorsed 

Health Management. She was first 

appointed to Council as a lay member 

by the Minister of Health in 2009. 

Dr Conway 

Powell 

Paula 

Snowden 

Dr Conway Powell, who holds a PhD in 

botany, is a scientist and experienced 

senior executive and director with a 

record in leadership. A Chartered 

Member of the Institute of Directors, 

Conway has been a member of the 

Health Research Council of New 

Zealand since 2009 and chairs its Risk 

Management and Assurance Committee. 

Since 2010 he has been the Presiding 

Member of the Lottery Grants Board 

community research distribution 

committee. He is also a director of the 

Balclutha-based rural hospital provider 

Clutha Health First. Conway was 

appointed to Council as a lay member 

by the Minister of Health in 2015. 

Paula Snowden has wide social service, 

health and state sector experience in 

management and government. She is 

currently Chief Executive of the Problem 

Gambling Foundation and was previously 

Chief Executive of the smoking cessation 

organisation The Quit Group. She is on 

the Board of Unicef New Zealand and 

is a Trustee of the Unicef Children’s 

Foundation. She has previously had senior 

management roles at ACC, Housing New 

Zealand and the Alcohol Advisory Council, 

and policy roles in other government 

departments. She is particularly interested 

in workforce wellbeing and improving 

outcomes for Māori and Pacific people. 

Paula, whose tribal affiliation is Ngāpuhi, 

was appointed to the Council as a lay 

member by the Minister of Health in 2015. 


Report from the 

Chief Executive and Registrar 

Carolyn Reed 

As a health regulator, 

the Nursing 

Council is just one 

part of the patient 

safety system but, as 

this Annual Report 

shows, we are clearly 

playing our part and I 

could not be prouder 

of the work being 

showcased here. 

It is certainly a real tribute to 

my team. We see ourselves as 

a values-based organisation 

and our values – including 

accountability, integrity, 

efficiency and effectiveness – 

underpin everything we do. 

Collaboration is another core value and 

I think it is particularly clear this year 

that effective collaboration with our 

stakeholders is critical to the achievement 

of our core purpose to set and maintain 

nursing standards to protect public safety. 

Our stakeholders include the public, nurses 

and professional groups, employers, 

and those with an interest in nursing 

regulation, from government to other 

regulators, nationally and internationally. 

The international engagement helps 

ensure that what we do is aligned with 

best-practice regulatory models and that 

our decision-making is supported by 

current evidence and trends. 

Thorough consultation takes 

time but ultimately it creates 

better understanding and 

acceptance of our standards 

and changes to the scope of 

nursing practice. 

We have seen that delivered in the past 

year with the smooth implementation 

and acceptance of the new standards 

framework for registered nurse 

prescribing. This is an historic advance. 

This work was never driven by a need to 

expand what nurses can do. Rather the 

driver was the improvement of access to 

medicines and healthcare for patients, 

especially disadvantaged groups. Again 

this is in accordance with our values. We 

are shaping our standards to encourage 

nurses to improve health equity and this 

itself is in line with the objectives of the 

New Zealand Health Strategy. We have 

already had positive feedback that nurse 

prescribing is both making it easier for 

patients to get the medicines they need 

and freeing doctors to focus on more 

complex needs. 

This is enabling and flexible regulation 

in action. We are proud also that it 

is attracting international attention. 

At a recent conference, our model of 

registered nurse prescribing created a lot 

of interest and we have been invited to 

share our knowledge and approach with 

colleagues in Canada. 

Our work in setting professional 

standards is intrinsically complex and 

we are forever mindful of the need for 

pluralism – and the need to recognise 

diverse knowledge and interests and to 

accommodate a diversity of patient needs 

rather than adopting a single approach. 

In addition to setting standards for nursing 

education and professional practice, we 

manage the public register of nurses. The 

professional register is at the heart of our 

system of health regulation. It allows the 

public and employers to check online at 

any time to see if a nurse is registered, if she 

or he has maintained their competence 

and if there has been any disciplinary 

action. 


With the largest health professional 

register in New Zealand, this is no small task 

and our online systems are working well. 

Ensuring that every nurse who 

is added to the New Zealand 

register meets the same 

standards is fundamental. 

Assuring the public that New Zealand 

nurses meet the required standard is 

done through accrediting and monitoring 

education programmes and through the 

setting of an examination for entry to the 

register, along with a series of background 

checks on applicants. 

Managing the registration of nurses from 

other countries is inherently more complex 

as we don’t have the same in-depth 

understanding and oversight of their 

educational preparation. 

These nurses, who make an important 

contribution, now make up 27% of the 

workforce and numbers are growing. In 

2016-2017, there was a rise in the number 

of applications from overseas-qualified 

nurses, up 280 on the previous year, 

and 41% of nurses added to the register 

gained their qualifications elsewhere. 

We have started a major review of our 

registration process for internationally 

qualified nurses. Our aim is to ensure 

that they are treated fairly, that 

their knowledge and experience are 

recognised, and that there are no 

unnecessary barriers to their registration 

here. At the same time, we need to 

balance this with assurance that they 

are competent and fit to practise in New 

Zealand. 

One of the great challenges for nurses 

coming to New Zealand is their 

enculturation into our healthcare system 

and their understanding of the role of the 

registered nurse in New Zealand as this 

is often quite different from the role in 

other countries. 

This is another area where our links 

with international regulatory colleagues 

are helping. We are a member of the 

INRC (International Nurse Regulatory 

Collaborative), which is exploring some 

groundbreaking and forward-thinking 

work around enabling nurses to move 

freely between member countries. That 

is about trusting each other’s checks 

and balances – so if you are registered in 

one member country, your registration 

will be recognised in another. We are 

already doing this with Australia and it 

is very successful. 

The other key function of the regulator 

is to establish and manage processes 

for people who breach standards of 

competence or conduct. Members of 

the public, employers or other health 

practitioners must know how they can 

make a complaint and have confidence 

that their complaint will be investigated 

and action will be taken if required. 

This area of regulatory practice is evolving. 

Again with international colleagues, we 

have been involved in a project to share 

disciplinary data and analyse common 

trends, with a view to intervening 

proactively to reduce opportunities for 

harm to the public, rather than simply 

responding when harm has been done. We 

have done this with guidance for nurses on 

professional boundaries and social media 

use – areas where there have been issues. 

Regulatory work is complex and made 

more so in times of rapid change and 

innovation. 

We are seeing changes in technology 

in terms of information, equipment and 

devices. We’re seeing workforce changes 

in terms of roles, employment patterns 

and a more holistic approach to healthcare 

as we start to shift from an illness to 

a wellbeing paradigm. These changes 

present opportunities and challenges. 

While it is important that we don’t put 

unnecessary barriers in the way of 

innovation and change, and we are 

acutely aware of the need to be agile and 

adaptive and to think globally, our focus 

remains resolutely on public safety and 

the health needs of New Zealanders. 

The organisation is in good 

heart and health – systemically 

and financially. I am proud 

that we have been able to 

operate successfully without 

any increase in fees to nurses 

for several years. With nurses 

having the lowest fees of any 

health profession, this is a real 

achievement. 

Our successes this year are a result of 

the input of our stakeholders and the 

dedication of staff. I thank everyone who 

has contributed and given their time to 

help us keep at the forefront of regulatory 

practice, and to ultimately minimise harm 

and risk to the public – patients and clients. 


The Senior 

Management Team 

Members of the senior management team 

from April 2016 to March 2017 

Carolyn Reed 

Chief Executive and Registrar 

Pam Doole 

Manager: Strategic Policy 

Lindsay Hiener 

Manager: Corporate Services 

Carolyn Reed was appointed Chief 

Executive and Registrar in February 2009 

after four years as the Council’s Education 

Advisor. Since 2011 she has been a member 

of the International Council of Nurses 

Observatory, a committee established 

to provide global advice on nursing 

regulation. She has a Bachelor of Arts with 

a double major in Nursing and Education, 

and a Master of Arts (Nursing) (with 

Distinction). Following 15 years as a nurse, 

Carolyn moved into nursing education 

at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of 

Technology, where she rose through a 

range of teaching and management roles 

to the position of Dean of the Health and 

Social Sciences faculty. 

Pam Doole has worked for the Council in 

a variety of roles including Professional 

Standards Manager, in which she was 

responsible for the approval of professional 

development and recognition programmes, 

recertification audits, and competence 

reviews. In her present role her strategic 

projects have included the review of the 

Code of Conduct and proposals for nurse 

prescribing. Before joining the Council 

she was Director of Nursing at Hutt Valley 

District Health Board for six years and the 

professional development and recognition 

programme coordinator for two years. 

She has also worked as a nurse in various 

clinical areas at Wellington Hospital. Pam 

has a Bachelor of Arts in History, a Diploma 

in Nursing and a Master of Philosophy 

(Nursing) (with Distinction). 

Lindsay Hiener moved from South Africa 

to New Zealand in 2005 and worked in 

finance before joining the Nursing Council 

in her present position in 2007. She 

brings experience in local government 

management to her role, having been 

appointed as a Municipal Manager in 

South Africa in 1998. Lindsay was then 

only the second woman and the youngest 

person in South Africa to be appointed 

to this role. She has studied business 

administration and project management, 

developed executive leadership 

programmes, consulted extensively on 

change management, championed ethical 

behaviour and provided mentorship. 


Maureen Kelly 

Manager: Education and Standards 

Clare Prendergast 

Manager: Fitness To Practise 

Ana Shanks 

Manager: Registration 

Maureen Kelly came to the Nursing Council 

in November 2009 after 12 years at the 

Waiariki Institute of Technology, the last 

five years as Head of School. Maureen 

qualified as a psychopaedic nurse at 

Mangere Hospital and began her nursing 

career at Tokanui Hospital. She then 

worked in the United Kingdom as a staff 

nurse, charge nurse and nurse educator. 

Upon returning to New Zealand Maureen 

completed a registered nurse bridging 

programme. She has a Bachelor of Nursing, 

a Bachelor of Science (Hons), a Master 

of Education (Hons) and a Postgraduate 

Certificate in Nursing, and has recently 

commenced postgraduate study in Public 

Management. 

Clare Prendergast, who is a registered 

nurse and lawyer, manages the legal 

team and provides general legal advice to 

the Council. Clare registered as a nurse 

in 1977 after completing the Wellington 

Hospital programme. She completed a law 

degree while continuing to work part-time 

at Wellington Hospital. After working as 

a legal editor for Brookers, Clare joined 

the Nursing Council in 1995. She is a 

contributing author to Health Care and 

the Law. She has managed the Council’s 

Fitness to Practise team, which includes 

competence, health and conduct issues, 

since 2012. 

Ana Shanks practised in mental health 

nursing for several years after completing 

her comprehensive nursing education 

at Wellington Polytechnic in 1993. She 

also has a Master of Arts (Nursing) and a 

Postgraduate Certificate in Public Policy 

from Victoria University of Wellington. Ana 

joined the Nursing Council in 2008 as a 

Nurse Advisor and was involved with the 

coordination and guidance of the Council’s 

nurse practitioner registration process. In 

early 2011 she was appointed to the role of 

Registration Manager. 


Highlights, 

Strategic Goals 

and Projects

2017 Key Data 

for the year ended 31 March 2017 

Setting and Maintaining Nursing Standards 

Prescribing qualifications and 

education programme standards 

For more detailed information see page 26 

10 education 

programmes 

accredited 

including 5 new 

postgraduate 

programmes in 

prescribing 

20 education 

programmes monitored 

Monitoring 

& 

accreditation 

97% 

passed 

95% 

passed 

of 2,022 

candidates passed 

the State Final 

Examination for the 

registered nurse 

scope of practice 

of 154 

candidates passed 

the State Final 

Examination for the 

enrolled nurse 


Managing continuing competence 

1 new professional development and 

recognition programme approved 

14,133 1,320 

nurses in professional development 

and recognition programmes 

4 programmes reapproved 

1 ceased 

nurses randomly selected for 

recertification audits 


Managing the Register of Nurses 

2,648 

enrolled nurses 

242 

nurse practitioners 

52,399 

registered nurses 

55,289 

total nurses 

practising 

Enrolled 

nurses 

31 

internationally 

qualified nurses 

167 

New Zealand 

graduates 

3,510 

nurses added to 

the New Zealand 

Register of 

Nurses 

Registered 

nurses 

1,910 

New Zealand 

graduates 

1,402 

internationally 


The nursing workforce increased by 

1,367 

77 

77 


registered 


Assuring Fitness to Practise 

32 

inquiries 

completed: 

13 needed 

competence 

reviews 

19 required 

no further action 

13 

competence 

reviews conducted 

5 nurses had their 

practising certificates 

suspended pending 

a health review 

12 stopped 

practising 

5 required no 

further action 

87 sent 

for medical 

examinations 

18 | The Nursing Council of New Zealand 

Competence 

50 notifications 

received about the 

competence of nurses 

Health 

104 notifications 


health of nurses 

Conduct 

20 complaints received had an initial 

assessment to determine if they were 

within the Council’s jurisdiction and/or 

were sufficiently serious to refer to a PCC: 

of those, only two were referred to a PCC 

for investigation 

25 complaints about the conduct of 

nurses were investigated by PCCs: 

10 required no further action 

3 had charges laid with the HPDT 

8 received letters of counsel 

1 had a condition included in her 


3 were referred for a health review 

45 nurses had court convictions 

considered by PCCs to determine whether 

the convictions could reflect adversely on 

their fitness to practise: 

1 had charges laid before the HPDT 

13 received letters of counsel 

18 had their cases referred for a review 

of their health 

14 convictions required no further action. 

One nurse had two outcomes 

8 charges were prosecuted before the 

HPDT by PCCs appointed by the Council: 

6 nurses charged with professional 

misconduct were found guilty by the 

HPDT: 2 had their registration cancelled, 

3 were suspended, 1 appealed 

1 nurse was found to have convictions 

that reflected adversely on his fitness to 

practise and had his registration cancelled 

1 nurse, found guilty of professional 

misconduct and of having a conviction 

that reflected adversely on his fitness to 

practise, had his registration cancelled

2017 Achievement 

Highlights 

Registered nurse 

prescribing in primary 

health and specialty 

teams introduced 

12 registered nurses 

authorised as designated 

prescribers through the 

equivalent qualification 

pathway 

A broadened scope of 

practice introduced for 


New programme 

standards introduced for 

master's degrees leading 

to registration as a nurse 

practitioner, to support 

the broadened scope 

A trial of registered 

nurse prescribing in 

community health 

planned in association 

with Counties Manukau 

Health and Family 

Planning 

Five nursing schools had 

new postgraduate diploma 

programmes in registered 

nurse prescribing 

accredited 

Two senior Māori nurses 

successfully assessed 

for registration as nurse 

practitioners on their 

marae – the first maraebased 

assessment 

The Nursing Cohort 

Report 2016, the third 

longitudinal study of 

the nursing workforce, 

released 

New strategic plan 

developed to guide the 

Council’s work through 

to 2022 

Online renewal of 

annual practising 

certificates for all nurses 

fully implemented 

Online ‘atlas’ created 

to make demographic 

data about nurses more 

graphic, accessible and 

interactive 

Chief Executive delivered 

a keynote address to 

the 18th South Pacific 

Nurses Forum in Honiara, 

Solomon Islands 


Strategic Goals and Projects 

2016-2017 

Strategic Goal 1: 

Setting and maintaining professional 

nursing standards for the protection of 

public safety 


Responding to the changing environment 

to ensure a fit-for-purpose workforce 


Engaging stakeholders to guide the 

development of a competent and flexible 

workforce 


Demonstrating national and international 

leadership in nursing regulation 

1A three-year review of the nurse practitioner scope of practice 

and qualifications culminated in March 2017 with a broadened 

scope coming into effect. 

New scope of practice and associated 

qualification for nurse practitioners 

When the scope was first introduced in 2001, nurse practitioners 

were registered in a specific area of practice. The new scope 

removes this restriction and enables them to practise more 

broadly according to health needs. As advanced clinicians, new 

nurse practitioners will be expected to self-regulate and practise 

within their areas of competence and experience. 

The Council undertook two rounds of consultation with 

stakeholders on the changes to the scope and associated 

education programme standards for master’s degrees leading 

to registration as a nurse practitioner. The changes, requiring 

students to develop advanced skills in more than one setting, 

were widely supported. Changes to education programme 

standards were seen as providing greater structure to nurse 

practitioner preparation, improving alignment between education 

and practice, and increasing consistency between education 

programmes. 

The new scope and programme standards look to 

the future and improve the flexibility and capacity 

of nurse practitioners to meet the health needs of 

increasingly diverse populations, under-served 

and vulnerable groups, and those in remote and 

rural settings. 

A review of accrediting and monitoring policies for tertiary 

education institutions delivering nurse practitioner qualifications 

was commenced in early 2017 to be completed later in the year. 


2Registered nurse 

prescribing introduced 

In September 2016 the Medicines (Designated Prescriber – 

Registered Nurses) Regulations 2016 were introduced to allow 

registered nurses working in primary health and specialty teams 

to prescribe for a range of common and long-term conditions. 

This allows the Council to authorise suitablyqualified 

registered nurses to prescribe for 

diabetes and related conditions, hypertension, 

respiratory diseases including asthma and COPD, 

anxiety, depression, heart failure, gout, palliative 

care, contraception, vaccines and common skin 

conditions and infections. 

Registered nurses – who work in collaborative teams in general 

practice, specialist outpatient clinics, family planning, sexual 

health, public health, district and home care, and in rural and 

remote areas – are already regularly involved in medicines 

management and education of patients. The new regulations 

allows them to take accountability for prescribing decisions 

based on their assessments rather than working under standing 

orders or asking a doctor to sign a prescription. 

In 2011 another regulation allowed approximately 50 nurses to be 

authorised to prescribe diabetes medications. Nurse prescribing 

for diabetes was found to be safe, clinically appropriate and well 

received by patients and doctors. This expansion of registered 

nurse prescribing rights builds on that success. 

The new framework was developed following extensive 

consultation. 

Registered nurse prescribing is designed to improve patient 

access to healthcare and medicines and to meet the demands 

of growing numbers of New Zealanders with chronic health 

conditions such as hypertension, asthma and diabetes. It enables 

nurses to make a bigger contribution to healthcare and will help 

generate more equitable results for groups with poorer health 

outcomes, particularly Māori and Pacific people and those with 

disabilities, as well as those in remote and rural areas. 

To be authorised as a designated prescriber, nurses must have 

three years’ clinical experience and a Postgraduate diploma 

in registered nurse prescribing for long-term and common 

conditions, or an equivalent qualification. Their authority to 

prescribe is indicated on their practising certificates and in the 

public register on the Council’s website. 

The Council amended the registered nurse scope of practice to 

indicate that some registered nurses can prescribe prescription 

medicines. It also added the education and training requirements 

for registered nurses prescribing in primary health and specialty 

teams as additional prescribed qualifications for registered nurses. 


Preparation and evaluation for a 

trial of registered nurse prescribing 

in community health 

The Council developed a second model of prescribing for 

registered nurses working in community health following 

significant consultation in 2013 and refinement of the proposal 

in response to feedback. It follows the success of nurses 

prescribing in diabetes health and the introduction in 2016 of 

registered nurse prescribing in primary health and specialty 

teams for long-term and common conditions. It will be 

introduced under the same regulation. 

Planning advanced for a six-month trial of 

registered nurse prescribing in community health 

with Counties Manukau Health and Family 

Planning, scheduled for later in 2017. 

Many nurses work in community settings where there is no 

doctor or immediate access to medicines. This can mean 

unnecessary cost and delay for people to get the medicines 

they need. This new prescribing authority will improve access 

to healthcare for people in vulnerable communities, including 

children in lower socio-economic circumstances, who are more 

at risk of infections that can lead to more serious complications 

and hospitalisation. 

Community prescribing supports the New Zealand Health 

Strategy by enabling registered nurses to fully use their skills 

and training to provide the right care at the earliest opportunity. 

Evaluation of the six-month trial will enable the Council to ensure 

that this level of prescribing is safe, and that the education of 

nurses is appropriate, before it is rolled out more widely in 2018. 

Registered nurses practising in community health will be 

authorised to prescribe following completion of a Councilapproved 

recertification programme, provided by a national or 

regional health provider organisation. 

They will be able to prescribe from a limited list of prescription 

and other medicines, for a range of common conditions. They 

will be able to treat and prescribe for common skin conditions, 

ear infections, sore throats, urinary tract infections and 

common sexually transmitted infections, as well as providing 

contraceptives, low-level pain relief and both preventative and 

ongoing treatment for rheumatic fever. Most of the drugs they 

will use are already supplied and administered by nurses under 

standing orders. Antimicrobial stewardship is to be included in 

the education programmes. 


Third longitudinal study of the 

nursing workforce released 

Setting new strategic priorities 

The Nursing Cohort Report 2016, published in November, 

showed more nurses are remaining in practice in the first three 

years following registration than a decade ago. 

The nursing cohort studies follow two groups of nurses over time and 

10 years of data is now available on the first cohort, who registered 

in 2005-2006. The second group being followed registered in 2012- 

2013. The groups are broken down into New Zealand-qualified 

nurses (NZQNs) and internationally qualified nurses (IQNs). 

The 2016 report found that 87% of the NZQNs and 69% of the 

IQNs in the 2012-2013 cohort were practising three years after 

registration. This compares with 78% of the NZQNs and 60% of 

the IQNs in the 2005-2006 cohort. 

Another significant finding in the 2016 report is the shift into 

primary healthcare over the period. In 2016, 16% of NZQNs were 

working in primary healthcare, up from 9% in 2009. 

The data showed significant attrition in the nursing workforce over 

the 10-year period. In 2016, 52% of nurses registered in 2005-2006 

were still practising. The decline is greater for IQNs, with 41% still 

practising in 2016 compared with 62% of the NZQNs. 

The longitudinal studies provide a detailed picture 

of nurses’ career trajectories in relation to trends 

in where they work (for example, in a hospital 

or community setting), clinical practice choices, 

geographic shifts and retention in the workforce. 

The data comes from the workforce survey completed by all 

New Zealand nurses when they renew their annual practising 

certificates. The information is useful for those working in 

research, workforce and health service policy development. 

It also helps the Council to carry out its role to ensure the 

workforce is fit for purpose. 

A new Strategic Plan 2017-2022 was developed to guide the 

Council’s work. 

The plan sets out what the Council intends to achieve and 

outlines new priorities, goals and the actions it is committed 

to working towards to ensure delivery on the new vision and 

mission. 

Based on the Council’s analysis of the current and future 

healthcare environment and its impact on nursing practice, the 

plan flows out of what has been achieved over the past three 

years. 

The context of nursing practice is changing with new 

technologies and increasing demand for more flexible models 

of health. The New Zealand population is aging and becoming 

more ethnically diverse. Demand is growing for community and 

primary care services for those living with long-term chronic 

conditions or age-related ailments. 

The Council’s role, as the regulator, is to facilitate these changes 

in nursing practice to better meet public need, while ensuring 

nurses provide safe and competent care. The safety of the public 

remains at the centre of the Council’s work. 

The plan outlines four new key strategic priorities: 

1. To ensure effective regulatory practice and consistent 

standards for all nurses registered in New Zealand 

2. To improve accountability to the public and stakeholders 

3. To enhance national, global and interdisciplinary collaboration 

4. To be an effective, future-focused organisation. 

The Strategic Plan 2017-2022 is published on the Council 

website. 


Setting and 

Maintaining 

Nursing 

Standards

Prescribing Qualifications and 

Education Programme Standards 

Key Results: 2016–2017 

5 programmes 

leading to registration as an 

enrolled nurse were accredited 

4 Nurse Entry to Practice 

programmes were monitored 

5 programmes 

leading to registration 

as a registered nurse 

were monitored 

5 postgraduate 

programmes leading to 

authorisation as a registered 

nurse prescriber in primary 

health and specialty teams 

were accredited 

Monitoring 

& 

accreditation 

7 competence 

assessment programmes 

(CAPs) were monitored 

1 postgraduate 

programme underwent 

a site accreditation and... 

4 were monitored 

2,022 candidates with a bachelor’s degree in nursing 

sat the State Final Examination 

for the registered nurse scope 

of practice. 

154 candidates with a Diploma in Enrolled Nursing 

sat the State Final Examination 

for the enrolled nurse scope 

of practice. 

97% 95% 

passed 

passed 

1,955 passed 

147 passed 


The role of the Council 

Scopes of practice 

The Council is responsible for 

prescribing the qualifications 

and the education programme 

standards for the enrolled 

nurse, registered nurse and 

nurse practitioner scopes of 

practice so graduates will be 

prepared and competent to 

protect the health and safety 

of New Zealanders. 

The Council also keeps educational 

institutions informed about legislative 

requirements regarding competence and 

current Council policies to protect public 

safety. Other work includes the provision 

of advice and information to nurse 

educators, nurses, student nurses and 

members of the public on issues related 

to nursing education. This encompasses 

entry criteria for programmes of study, 

recognition of prior learning, Council 

policies about the length of time to 

complete a programme, the number of 

attempts at a clinical course, and changes 

of conditions in a scope of practice. 

The different areas of nursing in which nurses are registered to practise are called 

‘scopes of practice’. New Zealand has three scopes of nursing practice: 

Enrolled nurses practise under the direction and delegation of registered nurses 

or nurse practitioners to deliver nursing care and health education spanning health 

consumers in community, residential and hospital settings. The prescribed qualification 

for an enrolled nurse is a Diploma in Enrolled Nursing at Level 5 on the New Zealand 

Qualifications Framework. 

Registered nurses use nursing knowledge and complex nursing judgement to assess 

the health needs of and provide care for health consumers in a range of settings 

from hospital to community. The prescribed qualification for a registered nurse is a 

bachelor’s degree in nursing at Level 7 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework. 

Nurse practitioners have advanced education and clinical training enabling them to 

diagnose, assess and manage people’s healthcare. They also work, autonomously and in 

collaborative teams with other health professionals, to promote health, prevent disease, 

and improve access and population health outcomes. The prescribed qualification for 

a nurse practitioner is a clinically focused Master of Nursing at Level 8 on the New 

Zealand Qualifications Framework. 

Full definitions of the scopes are published on the Council website: 

www.nursingcouncil.org.nz 

Conditions in a scope of practice 

Some nurses may have conditions in their scopes of practice. Their annual practising 

certificate (APC) may state, for example, “May only work in general and obstetric 

nursing”. Nurses must apply to the Council if they wish to change their conditions and 

they may do this following additional study and clinical experience. During the year the 

Council assessed 26 applications for a change of condition in a scope of practice. Eight 

applications were approved and 18 applicants were required to undertake further study 

or clinical experience. 


Accrediting and Monitoring Nursing Education Programmes 

All tertiary education institutions 

(TEIs) offering programmes leading 

to registration as a nurse, and the 

programmes themselves, must be 

accredited and monitored by the Council. 

Once programmes have been 

accredited, they are monitored 

at least every five years. 

When TEIs make significant changes 

to curricula or establish new delivery 

sites, they are required to have their 

programmes reaccredited. The Council 

regularly assesses nursing curricula to 

ensure they are being implemented in 

line with the education programme 

standards for registration in the various 

scopes of practice. 

The Council works closely with the 

Government’s quality assurance agencies 

– Universities New Zealand and the 

New Zealand Qualifications Authority. 

Close contact is also maintained with 

the heads of nursing from the schools, 

through Nurse Educators in the Tertiary 

Sector and the Council of Deans of 

Nursing and Midwifery (Australia and 

New Zealand), to ensure the Council is 

fully aware of current issues and 

initiatives in nursing education. 

Programmes leading 

to registration as an 

enrolled nurse 

7 

schools offer the Diploma in 

Enrolled Nursing. 

5 

new 

programmes were accredited 

and all education programme 

standards were met. 

Programmes leading 

to registration as a 

registered nurse 

Eighteen schools of nursing at 24 

sites throughout New Zealand offer a 

bachelor’s degree in nursing programme. 

In the 2016-2017 year five programmes 

were monitored. Four met all the 

education programme standards. 

One programme did not meet all the 

standards. The Council will continue to 

closely monitor this school’s progress 

towards meeting the standards. 

Postgraduate programmes 

There are 10 postgraduate programme 

providers throughout New Zealand. 

Seven providers offer a master’s degree 

leading to registration in the nurse 

practitioner scope of practice, five 

providers offer a postgraduate diploma 

leading to registration as a registered 

nurse prescribing in primary health 

and specialty teams, and two providers 

offer only postgraduate certificate and 

diploma programmes. 

One provider underwent a site 

accreditation to offer postgraduate 

programmes. Five postgraduate 

providers were accredited to provide 

a postgraduate diploma leading to 

authorisation as a registered nurse 

prescriber in primary and specialty 

teams. Three programmes were 

monitored and met all standards. 


Postgraduate diploma 

in registered nurse 

prescribing for longterm 

and common 

conditions 

By the end of March 2017 five 

nursing schools had their 

postgraduate programmes in 

registered nurse prescribing 

accredited by the Council and 

had students enrolled for the 

Postgraduate diploma in registered 

nurse prescribing for long-term 

and common conditions. They are 

Massey University, Wintec, Eastern 

Institute of Technology, Victoria 

University of Wellington and the 

University of Auckland. 

All programmes have students 

enrolled in the prescribing 

practicum, which fosters the 

development of diagnostic 

skills, patient consultation and 

assessment skills, clinical decisionmaking 

and monitoring skills. 

Interest in the programme is high. 

The practicum requires a minimum 

of 150 hours under the supervision 

and mentorship of a Designated 

Authorised Prescriber – a senior 

doctor or nurse practitioner who 

has agreed to support and assess 

the nurse. That means employer 

support is essential, as is a 

collaborative working relationship 

in a multidisciplinary team. 

The University of Otago has its 

accreditation in progress and 

Auckland University of Technology 

has an accreditation visit planned 

for mid-2017. 

Competence assessment 

programmes 

Competence assessment programmes 

(CAPs) are designed to ensure that 

New Zealand-qualified nurses (NZQNs) 

returning to the workforce and 

internationally qualified nurses (IQNs) 

seeking to register in New Zealand meet 

the competencies required of registered 

nurses prior to entering the workforce. 

Seven programmes were monitored. 

There are 21 CAP providers. Eleven 

are based in education institutions (all 

polytechnics), three are offered by district 

health boards (DHBs), six are offered 

by aged-care providers and Plunket 

also offers a CAP. Programme length 

ranges from six to eight weeks and all 

programmes may extend to 12 weeks of 

clinical experience if necessary. 

New Zealand-registered nurses wanting 

to return to practice are able to undertake 

individualised CAPs. These programmes 

are developed by DHBs and other 

healthcare providers that do not have 

approved CAPs. In 2016-2017 eight 

individual programmes were approved. 

Nurse Entry to Practice 

programmes 

These year-long programmes support 

new graduates through their first year in 

the workforce as they make the transition 

from being students to registered nurses. 

The programmes are available for nurses 

working for DHBs and those working in 

community-based health services, such 

as aged care, primary health organisations 

and Māori health providers. The Council 

monitored four programmes on behalf of 

Health Workforce New Zealand. 


State Final Examination 

All graduates, with either an accredited 

bachelor’s degree in nursing or Diploma 

in Enrolled Nursing, seeking registration 

are required to pass the State Final 

Examination. 

The Examination provides an 

additional form of external 

quality assurance of nursing 

education programmes, and 

ensures that all graduates 

entering the New Zealand 

Register of Nurses have 

achieved certain standards of 

knowledge and competency. 

Schools of nursing receive feedback 

about their pass rates and the 

national pass rate for each State Final 

Examination, which allows them to 

benchmark their success against the 

national average. 

Table 1: Registered nurse candidates sitting the State Final Examination 

YEAR ENDED 

31 MARCH 

NUMBER WHO SAT 

PASSED 

PERCENTAGE 

PASSED 

2017 2,022 1,955 97% 

2016 1,994 1,883 94% 

2015 1,975 1,832 93% 

2014 1,871 1,802 96% 

2013 1,772 1,680 98% 

Table 2: Enrolled nurse candidates sitting the State Final Examination 

YEAR ENDED 

31 MARCH 

NUMBER WHO SAT 

PASSED 

PERCENTAGE 

PASSED 

2017 154 147 95% 

2016 172 166 97% 

2015 137 128 93% 

2014 202 167 82% 

2013 194 170 88% 

The Education Committee 

The Council’s Education Committee 

considers education issues and advises 

the Council on matters relating to 

education policy. The Committee is also 

responsible for advising the Council on 

its process for accrediting and monitoring 

nursing programmes. The Education 

Committee met 11 times in 2016-2017. 


Education Committee 

Dr Jo Ann Walton 


Joanne Hopson 

Tania Kemp 


Continuing Competence 


14,133 

nurses 

1 

ceased 

1 

approved 

25.6% 

Professional 

development 

25.6% of the nursing 

workforce is involved in 

professional development and 

recognition programmes 

An additional 1,320 

nurses were randomly selected 

for recertification audit for 

continuing competence 

4 

reapproved 

One new professional development and 

recognition programme was approved, 

four programmes were reapproved and 

one programme ceased 


The HPCA Act requires the Council to 

have mechanisms in place to ensure 

the continuing competence of nurses to 

protect public safety. 

Those mechanisms are contained in the 

continuing competence framework and 

compliance with their requirements is 

mandatory. 

Like other health professionals, 

nurses are required to maintain 

their competence and to 

continue to learn and develop 

professionally throughout 

their careers. 

The Council may include conditions in a 

scope of practice and, on rare occasions, 

decline to issue an APC if continuing 

competence requirements are not met. 


The Continuing Competence Framework 

The continuing competence 

framework is based on a 

system of declarations by 

individual nurses that they 

meet the required standards 

of competence. In their APC 

applications nurses must declare 

that they meet the requirements 

of the Council for competence 

and fitness to practise. 

The Council has established three indicators 

of competence: 

• practice hours (a minimum of 450 

hours/60 days in the past three years) 

• professional development hours 

(a minimum of 60 hours in the past 

three years) 

• assessment of competence to practise 

against the Council’s competencies for 

the relevant scope of practice. 

Two further mechanisms provide 

assurance of competence to practise: 

• professional development and 

recognition programmes 

• recertification audits. 

The Council’s approach to continuing 

competence and its indicators of 

continuing competence have been 

endorsed by independent evaluations. 

While individual nurses are responsible 

for their ongoing competence and 

continuing professional development, 

employers, the profession and the Council 

have roles to play in setting standards for 

competence and supporting nurses to 

meet those standards. 


Professional 

development 

and recognition 

programmes 

Employers and professional 

organisations develop programmes 

to support and recognise the ongoing 

competence and professional 

development of individual nurses. They 

take place in a range of workplaces, from 

DHB hospitals and community settings 

to private surgical hospitals, aged-care 

settings, defence forces, and accident 

and emergency centres. 

The Council views participation in 

approved programmes as meeting the 

requirements for continuing competence. 

It is not known how many nurses have 

access to the programmes, but the 

Council would like to see their availability 

continue to increase. Participating nurses 

are exempt from recertification audit. 

At the end of March 2017 just 

over 25% of nurses with current 

APCs, that is 14,133 nurses, were 

reported to be taking part in 

these programmes. This is an 

increase of 306 nurses from 

the 2015-2016 year. 

The Council approves programmes to 

ensure they meet Council requirements. 

In the 2016-2017 year one programme 

was approved, four programmes were 

reapproved and one programme ceased. 

The total number of programmes 

approved by the Council is 27. 

Recertification audits 

Recertification audits are another 

important means of assuring the integrity 

of the continuing competence framework. 

In the 2016-2017 year the Council 

randomly selected 1,320 nurses to 

assess evidence that they were meeting 

continuing competence requirements. 

Of the nurses who had completed 

recertification audit by the end of the 

financial year, 71.6% met the requirements; 

15.7% (207 nurses) were issued with APCs 

with a condition to meet requirements 

within three to 12 months; and 4.1% had 

their audit still in progress and were 

providing more information. Some of 

these are nurses who are returning to 

the workforce following parental leave and 

need time to meet the hours of practice 

and professional development required. 

Another 8.6% who had been selected for 

recertification audit chose not to apply 

for an APC for various reasons including 

retirement, maternity leave 

and working overseas. 


Managing the 

New Zealand 

Register of 

Nurses

Managing the New Zealand 

Register of Nurses 


198 

enrolled nurses were 

added to the Register 

3,312 

registered nurses were 

added to the Register 

31 with overseas 

qualifications 

167 with 

New Zealand qualifications 

3,510 

nurses were added 

to the New Zealand 

Register of Nurses 

1,910 with 

New Zealand qualifications 

1,402 with 

overseas qualifications 

77 55,289 


were registered 

The nursing workforce increased 

by 1,367 on the previous year 

nurses were in practice 

at 31 March 2017 


The Council registers nurses who meet the required standards, 

maintains the New Zealand Register of Nurses and issues APCs. 

Every nurse working in New Zealand 

must be registered and hold an APC. 

This informs the public that the nurse is 

competent and fit to practise. 


Registration 

Nurses are registered in one of 

three scopes of practice: enrolled 

nurse, registered nurse and nurse 

practitioner (for descriptions, see 

page 27). They may not practise 

outside the scopes in which they 

are registered. 

The publicly available New Zealand 

Register of Nurses enables anyone to 

check on the qualifications and scope 

of practice of any nurse who holds 

a current APC. Information on the 

Register is updated daily and can be 

viewed on the Nursing Council website. 

Fitness for registration 

When applying for registration, nurses 

are required to satisfy the Council 

that they are able to communicate 

effectively, comprehend English, have 

not been convicted of an offence that 

may reflect adversely on their fitness 

to practise, do not have a mental or 

physical condition that may impact 

on their ability to practise safely, and 

are not the subject of professional 

disciplinary proceedings, or under 

investigation for professional conduct 

or the subject of a disciplinary order 

that may reflect adversely on their 

fitness to practise. The Council may 

decline to register an applicant if it 

has reason to believe the applicant 

may endanger the health and safety 

of members of the public. 

Table 3: All registrations 

DATE REGISTERED NURSES ENROLLED NURSES TOTAL 

Year ended 

31 March 

NZ O/seas Total NZ O/seas Total 

2017 1,910 1,402 3,312 167 31 198 3,510 

2016 1,841 1,134 2,975 144 19 163 3,138 

2015 1,771 1,191 2,962 143 20 163 3,125 

2014 1,788 1,391 3,179 119 34 153 3,332 

2013 1,639 1,257 2,896 150 21 171 3,067 

New Zealand-educated nurses 

Nurses educated in New Zealand are added to the Register when they pass the State 

Final Examination (see page 30) and the Council is satisfied that they have met all the 

requirements, which include fitness to practise. 

Table 4: Applications for registration – New Zealand-educated applicants 2016-2017 

EXAMINATION 

Sat Passed Registered 

Registered nurse graduate 2,022 1,955 1,860* 

Enrolled nurse graduate 154 147 134* 

Other (e.g. registered nurse mental health only) 5 3 3 

*These figures differ from the number of nurses who passed the State Final Examination, as some nurses 

register after 31 March. 


Internationally 


In the 2016-2017 year the Council 

received 1,991 applications for registration 

from IQNs. There is a difference between 

the number of applications and those 

registered, as applicants have 12 months 

to supply all documents required before 

an assessment occurs. Additionally, a 

large portion of IQNs are required to 

complete a competence assessment 

programme to demonstrate their 

competence before registration and they 

have two years to complete this. 

All completed applications were 

processed within 30 working days. 

Overseas nurses are required to 

complete their application for registration 

online. This builds on the existing selfassessment 

tool that overseas nurses 

can complete to check their eligibility for 

registration. The online application tool 

enables faster processing of applications 

and has received positive feedback. 

Most overseas nurses come 

from the Philippines and India. 

Overall, overseas nurses make 

up around 27% of the nursing 

workforce in New Zealand. 

Table 6: IQNs registered by country 

COUNTRY 2016-2017 2015-2016 2014-2015 2013-2014 

Australia 151 85 96 80 

Canada 17 19 21 16 

India 308 232 393 617 

Ireland 10 10 14 28 

Philippines 739 643 504 435 

Singapore 12 5 10 4 

South Africa 11 10 6 8 

United Kingdom 113 92 105 123 

United States 31 17 23 30 

Other 41 40 39 93 

Total 1,433 1,153 1,211 1,434 

Table 7: Applications and registrations for nurse practitioners 2016-2017 

New applications received 58 

Applications declined 2 

Applications in various stages of the process 12 

Nurse practitioners registered 77 

Table 5: IQN applications for 

registration 2016-2017 

APPLICATIONS 

REGISTERED 

NOT 

REGISTERED 

1,458 1,433 25 


Diabetes nurse prescribing 

Fifty-one practising nurses, in both 

primary and specialist care settings 

throughout the country, are authorised 

to prescribe for people with diabetes as 

of 31 March 2017. This is an increase of 

13% on last year. 

Applications for diabetes nurse 

prescribers close on 1 November 2017. 

registered nurses will still be able to 

apply to prescribe in diabetes health 

after that date under the broader 

registered nurse prescribing model of 

Registered nurse prescribing in primary 

health and specialty teams. 

Registered nurse 

prescribing in primary 

health and specialty teams 

Twelve practising registered nurse 

prescribers in primary health and 

specialty teams were authorised to 

prescribe. All 12 prescribers identify 

primary health as their practice 

code. These nurses have completed 

a postgraduate diploma or clinical 

master’s and have been assessed in their 

workplace by an authorised prescriber 

against the prescribing competencies 

(see box for more information). 

Interest in nurse 

prescribing growing 

steadily 

As of 31 March 2017, 12 

registered nurses had 

gained authorisation 

to become designated 

prescribers. All identified 

primary health as their 

practice area. In addition, 

there were another 51 

diabetes nurse prescribers. 

Applications opened in October 

2016 for registered nurses to 

apply to become designated 

prescribers and the Council 

received a steady stream of 

applications and enquiries in the 

next two months. These nurses all 

gained authorisation through the 

equivalent qualification pathway. 

The Council expects the number 

of designated prescribers to grow 

steadily each year in line with 

university enrolments. 


Nurse Practitioner Registrations 

The number of nurses 

registered in the nurse 

practitioner scope of practice 

has grown significantly with 

77 registered in the 2016-2017 

year. There are 242 nurse 

practitioners currently 

practising. 

Refinement of the 

registration process for 

NP applications 

In early 2016 the Nursing Council 

piloted a refined registration process 

for nurse practitioner applicants. No 

standards were changed – rather 

assessment aspects were completed 

at different stages and the desk audit 

was refined to allow a shortened panel 

interview that focused purely on the 

clinical competencies. 

The evaluation of the refined process 

demonstrated that a thorough 

assessment against the nurse 

practitioner non-clinical competencies 

could be completed at the desk audit 

and a thorough assessment of the 

clinical competencies at the panel 

interview. This resulted in shorter panel 

interviews – it was possible to complete 

two in one day. The refined process 

was transitioned out to all applicants in 

mid-2016. 

Marae graduation for 


In a groundbreaking and symbolic move, 

two senior Māori nurses were 

assessed for registration as nurse 

practitioners on their marae. 

Both nurses work for Te Tohu o Te 

Ora o Ngāti Awa, a large Māori health 

provider in the Bay of Plenty; their primary 

healthcare practice is grounded 

in kaupapa Māori. 

Nursing Council representatives were 

formally welcomed onto the marae, and 

the pōwhiri was also attended by whānau, 

hapū, nursing and other colleagues, and 

students from the nursing programme 

at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in 

Whakatane. 

The nurses said having the assessment 

on the marae brought the way they 

practise alive and made the cases and 

challenges outlined in their portfolios 

more real. 

The marae assessment was seen as 

a practical way of putting the Nursing 

Council’s values of partnership into 

practice. It has given the organisation 

the confidence to say that while the 

standards required for nurse practitioners 

are consistent across the board, 

assessment contexts can vary. 


Annual Practising 

Certificates 

In addition to registration, the Act 

requires every practising nurse to hold 

a current APC and to renew it annually. 

To obtain their APC, nurses must 

declare that they have maintained their 

competence and fitness to practise (see 

page 44). The Act permits the Council 

to decline APC applications if it is not 

satisfied that the nurses concerned are 

competent and fit to practise. 

The nursing workforce 

continues to grow. The total 

number of nurses practising 

as at 31 March 2017 was 55,289, 

an increase of 1,367 on the 

previous year. 

1,367 

more nurses 

practising 

in 2017 

55,289 

nurses in practice at 

31 March 2017 

The Nursing Council completed changes 

to the online APC application to require 

all nurses to complete their APC online. 

This was successful, with 99.25% 

compliance. Most of those who did not 

complete an online application were not 

maintaining their APC. 

The Registration 

Committee 

The Registration Committee has 

delegated authority for individual 

registration decisions. The Committee 

met nine times in the 2016-2017 year. It 

considered registration applications from 

New Zealand graduates and IQNs. 


Registration Committee 

Dr Jo Ann Walton 

Cath Byrne 

Tania Kemp 

Joanne Hopson 

Table 8: Number of nurses practising by scope of practice 

SCOPE NUMBER AT 31 MARCH 2017 

Nurse practitioner 242 

Registered nurse 52,399 

Enrolled nurse 2,648 

Total 55,289 

Table 9: Growth in nursing workforce 

AT 31 MARCH 

NUMBER OF NURSES 

PRACTISING 

GROWTH IN WORKFORCE 

2017 55,289 1,367 

2016 53,922 1,193 

2015 52,729 1,323 

2014 51,406 986 

2013 50,060 704 


Assuring 

Fitness to 

Practise

Management of Concerns 

about Competence, Health 

and Conduct 


The Council’s role is to protect 

the public by putting in place 

effective processes to ensure 

that nurses are competent and 

fit to practise nursing. 

Systems for managing complaints 

about nurses, and the associated 

disciplinary sanctions, are part of a 

multi-faceted approach to maintaining 

professional standards. 

Fitness to practise 

Nurses are responsible for assuring 

Council that they are fit to practise. 

They must do this annually when applying 

for a practising certificate. This means 

declaring that they have maintained 

the required standard of competence 

and completed sufficient professional 

development and practice hours. They 

are also required to declare if they have 

a mental or physical condition that may 

impact on their ability to practise safely 

and whether they are the subject of 

criminal proceedings. 

Managing concerns 

about competence, 

health and conduct 

Employers directly address many of 

the concerns about nurses’ conduct, 

but complaints should be made to the 

Nursing Council or to the Health and 

Disability Commissioner if a risk to public 

safety is involved. Where the conduct 

has affected a health consumer, the 

Commissioner will generally investigate 

the matter, although it may be referred 

back to the Council. 

When the Council receives a notification 

of concern about the competence or 

health of a nurse or a complaint about the 

conduct of a nurse, it considers whether 

the matter is within its jurisdiction (that 

it is a professional issue rather than an 

employment or personal matter) and if 

the complaint or notification is serious 

enough to warrant further action by the 

Council. It then determines if the matter 

Table 10: Sources of notifications and complaints 2016-2017 

SOURCE 

should go to a Professional Conduct 

Committee (PCC), the Health and 

Disability Commissioner (HDC), a Nursing 

Council Health Committee or the Nursing 

Council’s competence review process. 

Competence, health and conduct 

matters are reported separately in the 

following pages. 

NUMBER 

Health consumer/member of public 31 

HDC 17 

Health practitioner 7 

Ministry of Justice 19 

Employer 132 

Self-notification 37 

Other 33 

Total 276 

Table 11: Outcomes of preliminary investigations into notifications and complaints 

2016-2017 

OUTCOME 

NUMBER 

No further action 41 

Refer to PCC – Conduct 21 

Refer to PCC – Initial Investigation 14 

Refer to HDC 26 

Refer to Health 78 

Refer to Competence 45 

Refer to PCC – Court Conviction 37 

Other 14 

Total 276 


Competence Reviews 


32 

inquiries completed: 

13 needed 

competence 

reviews 

19 required 

no further action 

50 

new notifications were 

received by the Council 

about the competence 

of nurses 

13 

competence 

reviews conducted 

Response to notifications of competence concerns 

The Council must inquire into all 

notifications it receives about nurses’ 

competence and determine what action, 

if any, will be required to ensure the 

nurses practise at the standard required 

to protect the safety of the public. 

Employers generally address any 

competence concerns about nurses 

in their employment with performance 

improvement plans or similar processes. 

However, where the concerns about the 

competence of a nurse are more serious, 

or the nurse has been unable to sustain 

any improvement in practice following 

additional education and support, a 

notification to the Council may be required. 

Where a nurse is dismissed or resigns 

for reasons related to competence, their 

employer must notify the Council of the 

reasons for that dismissal or resignation. 

The Health and Disability Commissioner 

is also required to notify the Council if 

he or she has reason to believe that a 

nurse may pose a risk of harm to the 

public by practising below the required 

standard of competence. Referrals may 

also be made by PCCs or any health 

practitioner. Other sources of notification 

include self-notification, members of the 

public, the Ministry of Health, overseas 

regulatory authorities, the recertification 

audit process and a Health Committee 

or Professional Conduct Committee. The 

Council may also review the competence 

of a nurse with an APC at any time. 

In the 2016-2017 year the 

Council received notifications 

about the competence of 50 

nurses. This is a very small 

proportion of nurses practising: 

0.09% of the 55,289 nurses with 

APCs at the end of March 2017. 

It is a decrease from the previous year, 

when 77 nurses were referred. Most of 

the notifications (43 of 50) came from 

employers. 


Competence inquiries 

and reviews 

Following a notification of a competence 

concern, the Council conducts an 

initial inquiry to ascertain the nurse’s 

current competence. This inquiry 

usually includes further information from 

the notifier, evidence of professional 

development and competence 

assessments, and an opportunity for 

the nurse to respond to the notification. 

That information is then assessed and 

a decision is made about whether a 

competence review is required. 

In 2016-2017, following the initial inquiry, 

no further action was required for 19 

nurses. Thirteen nurses were assessed 

as needing a competence review and 

13 reviews were completed. These 

figures comprise some nurses notified 

in the previous financial year and some 

of the new notifications. Not all new 

notifications can be assessed in the 

financial year in which they are received 

but all are assessed in a timely manner. 

In 2016-2017, following review, no further 

action was taken for six nurses and 

competence programmes were ordered 

for seven nurses. Some of the nurses 

reviewed were reported in the previous 

financial year. Three nurses were referred 

for a review of their health. 

At the end of March 2017, 14 nurses were 

still under a range of orders and having 

their performance monitored. Five nurses 

stopped practising before the orders 

were completed and eight nurses 

met orders. 

During 2016-2017 three nurses were 

referred for a review of their health. 

Number of nurses notified for competence – comparison with previous years 

120 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

0 

75 

2013 

100 

2014 2015 2016 2017 

Table 12: Sources of competence referrals received 2016-2017 

SOURCE 

Health practitioner 0 

Health and Disability Commissioner 4 

Employer 43 

PCC 0 

Recertification audit 0 

Health consumer/family 0 

Other (Midwifery Council of New Zealand, DHB, overseas school of nursing) 3 

Total 50 

Table 13: Orders made by the Council following competence reviews 2016-2017 

SOURCE 

Interim suspension/conditions 

(this includes nurses with interim orders following reviews or pending reviews) 

Orders concerning competence 7 

Competence programmes ordered 7 

Unsatisfactory results of competence or recertification programme (suspended) 0 

Total 14* 

89 

77 

50 

0 

*One nurse had more than one order. 


Table 14: Outcomes following competence reviews 

OUTCOME FOR NURSE FOLLOWING 

A COMPETENCE REVIEW 

NUMBER OF 

NURSES 

2016-2017 

NUMBER OF 

NURSES 

2005-2017 

Met orders and file closed 8 156 

Orders not undertaken (nurse not practising post review) 5 99 

Failed competence programme 0 20 

No further action post review 6 113 

Presently being monitored 14 14 

Referred for health concerns post review 0 19 

Total 33 421 

Competence 

review process 

The competence review 

process includes simulated 

practice scenarios and a 

multiple-choice examination. 

The scenarios are based on common 

clinical situations and conditions that 

the nurse could reasonably be expected 

to manage safely. 

The scenarios are videoed and sent 

to three registered nurse assessors 

who have no knowledge of the original 

competence concerns and assess 

the videoed simulations against 

accepted criteria based on the 

Council competencies. 

The Nurse Advisor then analyses the 

assessors’ reports, the multi-choice 

exam results, the original competence 

notification and the nurse’s response 

to the notification. The Nurse Advisor 

writes a report and may propose 

orders such as the completion of 

further education, practising under 

supervision or completing a competence 

assessment. If the nurse meets the 

competencies during the review, no 

further action will be taken. 

If the nurse accepts the proposed 

orders they become final orders. If not, 

he or she may request a meeting with 

a competence review committee and 

provide a response to the proposed 

orders. The committee may confirm, 

vary or revoke the orders. 


Health Reviews 


5 nurses had their 


suspended pending 

a health review 

87 were required 

to have a medical 

examination 

109 

notifications were 


health condition 

of nurses 

Action was 

deferred for 

12 nurses who 

had ceased 

practising 

5 required no 


The health review process 

Nurses and other health practitioners must 

notify the Nursing Council if they believe 

a nurse is unable to perform the functions 

required for the practice of nursing 

because of a mental or physical condition, 

including a condition or impairment caused 

by alcohol or drug abuse. 

Nurses are required 

to declare health conditions that 

may affect their practice when 

applying for their APCs and at 

any other time during the year. 

The majority of nurses with health 

conditions manage the conditions 

themselves with the support of their 

healthcare providers and/or employers if 

necessary. However, the Council should 

be notified if a health condition affects a 

nurse’s ability to practise safely, the nurse 

fails to comply with treatment, or resigns, 

or the nurse is dismissed for reasons 

related to their health. 

The Council may order that the nurse’s 

APC be suspended or include conditions in 

their scope of practice pending a medical 

assessment. The Council made interim 

orders suspending nurses’ APCs on five 

occasions in the 2016-2017 year. 

Nurses may be required to have a medical 

examination with a Council-approved 

medical practitioner, at the Council’s 

expense. If the written report provided by 

that medical practitioner identifies a mental 

or physical condition that may make the 

nurse unable to perform the functions 

required for the practice of nursing, the 

nurse will be invited to a meeting with a 

Health Committee to discuss the report. 


Health Committees 

Health Committees meet fortnightly in 

the main centres, depending on where 

nurses require the meetings. The Health 

Committees have delegated powers to 

make the following decisions: 

• take no further action on the notification 

• allow the nurse to practise with 

conditions on their scope of practice 

• suspend the nurse from practice 

• vary or revoke conditions. 

The Council received 104 new notifications 

of nurses with mental or physical 

conditions in 2016-2017. This is a small 

decrease from 109 in the previous year 

but continues the increase from 100 in 

the 2014-2015 year. There was an increase 

in the number of nurses who notified the 

Council that they had mental or physical 

conditions, from 18 in the previous year to 

28 in this reporting year, and a decrease 

in the number of notifications made by 

nurses’ employers. 

The Health Committees met in Auckland, 

Wellington and Christchurch in the 2016- 

2017 year and considered 77 nurses who 

had undergone medical examinations. 

They also considered other nurses 

who had requested revocations of their 

suspensions or conditions or changes to 

conditions that had been included in their 


Number of nurses notified for health concerns 

120 

109 

100 

104 

100 

80 

76 

78 

60 

40 

20 

0 

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 

Table 15: Sources of health notifications 2016-2017 

SOURCE OF HEALTH NOTIFICATIONS 

NEW 

Manager of health service 0 

Health practitioner (self-notified) 28 

Employer 42 

Medical officer of health 0 

Any person 5 

Person involved with education 0 

PCC (section 80(2)(b) of the HPCA Act) 10 

Other health practitioners 12 

Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal 0 

Competence 5 

Registration 1 

Professional Standards (Education/Audit) 1 

Total 104 


Table 16: Outcomes of new health notifications received by Council 2016-2017 

OUTCOME OF NEW HEALTH NOTIFICATIONS 

NUMBER 

Interim suspension 5 

Interim conditions 0 

Medical examination ordered 87 


Ceased practising 12 

Total 109* 

*This number differs from the number of new notifications as nurses who had interim suspension ordered 

were also required to have a medical examination. 

Table 17: Outcomes of health notifications considered by Health Committees 2016-2017 

OUTCOME OF ALL HEALTH NOTIFICATIONS 

NUMBER 


Conditions included 28 

Suspension 8 

Suspension revoked and conditions included 9 

Suspension continued 0 

Conditions continued 2 

Conditions revoked 5 

Conditions varied 2 

Deferred action – not practising 5 

Further information required 3 

Total 77* 

*This number differs from the new notifications as it includes some notifications from the previous year, 

nurses who had more than one outcome, and 18 reviews of suspensions or conditions included in nurses’ 


Table 18: Outcomes following medical examinations 2016-2017 

OUTCOME FOLLOWING MEDICAL EXAMINATION 

NUMBER 

Referred to Health Committee 59 

Referred for competence review 1 


Deferred – not practising 3 

Total 69* 

*This number differs from the number of nurses required to have a medical assessment as not all reports 

following the assessment had been completed. 


Complaints 

and Discipline 


20 complaints received had an initial assessment to 

determine if they were within the Council’s jurisdiction 

and/or were sufficiently serious to refer 

to a PCC. Of those, only two were 

referred to a PCC for investigation. 

3 were referred 

for a health review 

10 required no 


5 required no 


3 had charges 

laid with the HPDT 

30 

complaints about 

the conduct of nurses 

were investigated 

by PCCs 

8 received 

letters of counsel 

1 had a 

condition included 

in her scope 

of practice 

45 nurses had court convictions considered by 

PCCs to determine whether the convictions could 

reflect adversely on their fitness to practise: 

13 received 

letters of counsel 

1 had charges laid 

before the HPDT 

18 had their 

cases referred 

for a review of 

their health 

14 convictions 

required no 


One nurse had two outcomes. 

Court 

convictions 

8 charges were prosecuted before the HPDT by PCCs 

appointed by the Council: 

6 nurses charged with professional misconduct were 

found guilty by the HPDT: 2 had their registration 

cancelled, 3 were suspended, 1 appealed 

1 nurse was found to have convictions that reflected 

adversely on his fitness to practise and had his 

registration cancelled 

1 nurse found guilty of professional misconduct and of 

having a conviction that reflected adversely on his fitness 

to practise had his registration cancelled 


Professional Conduct 

Committees 

The Council appoints PCCs to 

investigate complaints about 

nurses’ conduct. 

Nurses are given an opportunity to 

respond before any decision is made 

on what actions, if any, will be taken on 

a complaint. PCCs are also required to 

consider the cases of nurses who have 

court convictions. 

Each PCC comprises one lay member 

and two nurses. One nurse must have 

experience in the same area of practice 

as the nurse under investigation. 

Each Committee appoints an 

investigator to investigate a complaint 

on its behalf. This investigation involves 

taking statements and collecting clinical 

notes and any other information relevant 

to the complaint, and may take some 

time depending on the complexity of the 

complaint. 

The Council aims to complete 

investigations in a timely manner. 

Complaints involving significant 

patient safety issues are investigated 

urgently. The Council may suspend a 

nurse’s practising certificate or include 

conditions in his/her scope of practice 

pending the investigation or where 

the nurse is the subject of a criminal 

proceeding. 

Before complaints are actually 

investigated by a PCC, some undergo an 

initial assessment to determine whether 

the complaint is within the Council’s 

jurisdiction and/or is sufficiently serious 

to refer to a PCC. During the 2016-2017 

year, 20 complaints received had an 

initial assessment and of those only two 

were referred to a PCC for investigation. 

During the year 25 PCC hearings were 

held to investigate complaints about 

conduct. Other PCCs considered nurses 

with court convictions (see below). 

Number of nurses investigated by PCCs 

40 

35 

30 

25 

20 

15 

10 

5 

0 

34 

30 

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 

Table 19: PCC investigations 2016-2017 

AREA OF PRACTICE FOR NURSE WHERE INVESTIGATION COMPLETED 

TOTAL 

Mental health 0 

Acute care 7 

Continuing care 11 

Primary healthcare 5 

Other 1 

Not practising 1 

Total 25 

The results of PCC investigations 

PCCs make determinations and/or 

recommendations after meeting with the 

nurse and complainant. A determination is 

the final decision on the complaint. 

A PCC may determine that: 

• no further steps be taken in relation 

to the matter of the investigation 

• a charge of professional misconduct 

be brought against the nurse before 

the HPDT for a matter of serious 

misconduct 

• the complaint be referred for 

conciliation. 

38 

34 

25 

A recommendation by a PCC is referred 

to the Council to decide what action, if 

any, it will take on the recommendation. 

A PCC may recommend that the Council 

do one or more of the following: 

• review the competence of the nurse 

• review the nurse’s fitness to practise 

• review the nurse’s scope of practice 

• refer the subject matter of the 

investigation to the police 

• counsel the nurse. 


Table 20: Summary of outcomes of PCC investigations 

(excluding court convictions) 2016-2017 

OUTCOME 

TOTAL 

Charges laid with HPDT 3 


Letter of counsel 8 

Referred for health monitoring 3 

Referred for competence review 0 

Conditions included in scope of practice 1 

Total 25 

Table 21: PCC cases 2016-2017 

NATURE OF ISSUE SOURCE OF NOTIFICATION NUMBER OUTCOME 

Fraudulent claiming Employer 4 1 to the HPDT 

2 no further action 

1 referral to Health Committee 

Concerns about standards of practice Employer 6 1 letter of counsel 



Conduct 

Employer/consumer/ 

other health practitioner 

9 5 letter of counsel 



Practising outside scope Employer 1 1 no further action 

Practising without annual practising certificate Employer 0 

Theft Employer 2 2 to the HPDT 

Professional boundaries Employer 1 1 letter of counsel 

Professional boundaries Consumer 2 1 letter of counsel 

1 conditions in scope of practice 

Other 

Other health practitioner/Health and 

Disability Commissioner/employer/consumer 

0 

Notification of conviction Self – 19 

Courts – 22 

Employer – 0 

Police – 1 

Other – 3 

45 

Total 70 


Court convictions 

Each court registrar is 

required to send a notice of 

conviction to the Council 

where a nurse has been 

convicted of an offence that is 

punishable by imprisonment 

for a term of three months or 

longer, or for other offences 

listed in the HPCA Act. 

This threshold refers to the penalty that 

may be imposed for the conviction, not 

the actual penalty the nurse receives. 

The Council has appointed a PCC to 

consider these convictions. This PCC 

meets three-monthly to ensure that 

these convictions are considered in a 

timely manner. Nurses are invited to 

provide a response to their conviction. 

The majority of court convictions are 

referred by nurses themselves as part of 

annual practising certificate applications. 

Court convictions 

70 

60 

54 

53 

50 

45 

40 

38 

30 

20 

20 

10 

0 

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 

Table 22: Court convictions 2016-2017 

CATEGORY OF COURT CONVICTION 

NUMBER OF CONVICTIONS 

Drink driving 27 

Assault 3 

Sexual offending 1 

Traffic violation 3 

Other 11 

Total 45 

The determinations and recommendations that the PCC may make following court 

conviction hearings are the same as for complaints about conduct (other than referring 

the matters to the police). However, in deciding whether to lay a charge, the PCC looks 

at whether the conviction is sufficiently serious to reflect adversely on a nurse’s fitness 

to practise. 

Table 23: Summary of outcomes of PCC investigations of nurses with court 

convictions 2016-2017 

OUTCOME 

TOTAL 

Charge laid with HPDT 1 


Letter of counsel 13 

Referred for health monitoring 18 

Total 46* 

*One nurse had two outcomes. 


Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal Prosecutions 

PCCs are able to prosecute charges 

against nurses on the following grounds: 

• professional misconduct, which 

includes malpractice, negligence 

and conduct likely to bring discredit 

to the nursing profession 

• convictions for offences that reflect 

adversely on fitness to practise 

• practising while not holding 


• practising outside their scopes 

of practice 

• failing to observe any conditions 

included in their scopes of practice 

• breaching orders of the HPDT. 

In the 2016-2017 year the Council’s PCCs 

prosecuted eight charges against eight 

nurses. Six were charges of professional 

misconduct. One charge was for a 

conviction and one nurse was prosecuted 

for professional misconduct and court 

convictions. 

The Nursing Council is required to 

publish summaries of all HPDT hearings. 

The publication of the summaries 

supports the maintenance of professional 

standards by enabling other nurses to see 

the conduct that is unacceptable and the 

consequences of such behaviour. 

These cases representing serious 

professional misconduct by nurses are 

relatively rare and represent only a tiny 

proportion of practising nurses. 

Table 24: HPDT decisions on prosecutions 2016-2017 

OUTCOME 

TOTAL 

Professional misconduct 5 

Conviction that reflects adversely on fitness to practise 1 

Professional misconduct and conviction that reflects 

adversely on fitness to practise 

Decision appealed 1 

Total 8 

Number of prosecutions 

18 

16 

14 

12 

10 

8 

6 

4 

6 

13 

4 

10 

8 

1 

2 

0 

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 


Charges of Professional Misconduct Prosecuted in 2016-2017 

Full details about these cases can be found at 

www.hpdt.org.nz. 

Most nurses who are prosecuted are required to 

pay contributions towards the costs of the PCC 

investigations and the HPDT hearings. For succinctness 

the costs imposed on nurses are not reported here. 

Drug convictions and 

false declarations to the 

Nursing Council 

A suspended nurse had his registration 

cancelled following criminal convictions 

for drug offences in the United States 

and New Zealand. He was also found 

guilty of professional misconduct after 

lying in applications for a Nursing 

Re-Connect programme and an annual 

practising certificate. 

The nurse had registered in New Zealand 

before moving to the United States, 

where his registration was revoked due to 

substance abuse. He was subsequently 

sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment after 

holding up a pharmacy and demanding 

narcotics. 

When he returned to New Zealand he 

made false declarations about his history 

when applying for a Nursing Re-Connect 

programme and later when applying for 

an annual practising certificate. When the 

Nursing Council discovered these false 

declarations it suspended his registration. 

He was then convicted of a drug offence 

in New Zealand. The Tribunal found 

his offending was at the higher end of 

misconduct and said it had no option but 

to cancel his registration. 


Inappropriate accessing 

of patient records through 

“mindless curiosity” 

A registered nurse who repeatedly 

accessed the electronic clinical records 

of patients and colleagues when she 

was not entitled to do so was censured, 

was suspended from practice for four 

months and had conditions imposed on 

any resumption of her practice in New 

Zealand. The nurse could not explain her 

actions and her counsel said it was done 

out of “naïve and mindless curiosity”. 

The Tribunal was told that the nurse 

had lost her job, brought shame on 

herself and her family, and ruined her 

chance of a better life in New Zealand. In 

mitigation, the Tribunal noted there was 

no suggestion of poor clinical judgement, 

no harm had been done to any of the 

patients whose records were accessed 

and there was no evidence the nurse had 

passed the information on to anyone else. 

Taking narcotics 

from work 

A nurse who took narcotics, without 

correct authority, from an automated 

dispensing cabinet in the hospital where 

she worked was found guilty of serious 

misconduct and had her registration 

cancelled. On several occasions over five 

months, the nurse took drugs prescribed 

for a patient but did not actually 

administer them to the patient and 

falsified records. 

The Tribunal concluded she had 

misappropriated the drugs for her own 

use. It found this seriously compromised 

the integrity of the district health board’s 

drug-dispensing system. The nurse’s 

behaviour had potentially put patients 

at risk and had “shown a complete 

disregard for the principles of honesty 

and integrity inherent in the professional 

responsibilities owed by all nurses to the 

public and the profession”. 

Ongoing inappropriate 

accessing of patient records 

A registered nurse who inappropriately 

accessed the electronic clinical records of 

64 people was suspended for 18 months, 

censured for serious misconduct and had 

conditions imposed on her should she 

ever return to nursing. When assessing 

a suitable penalty for the offending the 

Tribunal said its decision was made to 

be consistent with earlier decisions in 

similar cases but it warned “the principle 

of consistency is not intended to lock 

decision-makers into an approach for 

all time”. 

The nurse told the tribunal she had 

a history of severe depression and 

apologised for the harm she had caused. 

The Tribunal said cancelling the nurse’s 

registration would have been “‘unduly 

harsh” in the situation. However, while 

no cases of this sort have resulted 

in the cancellation of a practitioner’s 

registration, the Tribunal said it should not 

necessarily be assumed that this would 

remain the case. 

Not declaring criminal 

convictions and stealing 

leads to deregistration 

A registered nurse was deregistered 

and censured after failing to declare two 

criminal convictions in a job application 

and when renewing her practising 

certificate, as well as stealing and using 

a bankcard belonging to a patient with 

dementia. 

The Tribunal said the acts involved 

dishonesty and showed a pattern of 

behaviour that brought discredit to the 

nursing profession. 

The offending was uncovered after the 

nurse’s details were sent to the police 

vetting service when she was offered 

a position as a registered nurse with 

the Waikato District Health Board. The 

Tribunal found her guilty of malpractice 

and conduct bringing discredit to the 

nursing profession. 

Registration cancelled 

following conviction for 

indecent assault of a child 

A registered nurse was censured and had 

his registration cancelled after he was 

convicted and sentenced to two years’ 

imprisonment for indecently assaulting a 

female under the age of 12. The offending 

took place between 2006 and 2010 

and occurred outside the context of his 

practice as a nurse. The child was not 

related to the nurse, but was known to 

him through a family friend. The nurse 

accepted the charge and that it affected 

his fitness to practise. 

Falsifying references 

leads to suspension of 

registration 

A registered nurse had her registration 

suspended for six months and was 

censured after she gave false contact 

details for a referee when applying for 

positions with two nursing agencies. The 

nurse then arranged for another person 

to pose as the referee on three occasions 

between August 2012 and September 

2014. 

The nurse had had issues at the hospital 

where the referee worked. This led to a 

review of her competence by the Council 

and conditions were placed on her 

practice. The Tribunal said it appeared 

the nurse was concerned that an 

accurate reference would have affected 

her chances of finding employment, so 

she came up with the scheme to provide 

false contact details for the referee. The 

Tribunal found her guilty of malpractice 

and bringing discredit to the nursing 

profession. 

Relationship with patient 

A registered nurse found guilty of 

professional misconduct appealed 

the finding and the penalty to the 

High Court. 


Corporate 

Services

The Role of 

Corporate Services 

The Corporate Services 

department supports the 

organisational needs of 

the Council to ensure the 

integrated delivery of 

services to the Council and 

other internal and external 

stakeholders. 

Corporate Services has overall responsibility for: 

• business planning and business services • finances and payroll 

• operational and strategic project • information systems 

management 

• governance 

• leading business change initiatives • databases 

• driving process changes towards • property and facilities management 

increased efficiencies 

• reception/front of house 

• compliance with relevant legislative 

• statistics 

requirements 

• communication and research 

• stakeholder engagement 

• policy and procedures 

• human resources 

• risk management. 


Stakeholder Engagement 

The Council’s stakeholders include 

individuals, groups and organisations 

that can influence, or be influenced by, 

the Council’s actions and who can assist 

it to achieve its fundamental objective – 

the protection of public health and safety. 

Stakeholders include the public, 

nurses and professional groups, 

employers, and those with an interest 

in nursing regulation, from government 

to other regulators. 

In engaging stakeholders, 

the Council aims to ensure 

that the standards it sets to 

protect public safety are 

understood and supported. 

Public consultation 

Consultation on changes to 

standards or policies or the 

introduction of new initiatives 

is particularly important 

and the Council values the 

input of all those who make 

submissions 

In the last year the Council consulted on 

changes to the nurse practitioner scope 

of practice, education standards and 

competencies and the introduction of a 

new postgraduate pathway to registration 

as a registered nurse. Respondents all 

received a summary analysis of responses 

and a detailed analysis of the respective 

consultations was published on the 

website. 


Communications 

approach 

The Council employs a range 

of strategies to engage and 

communicate with stakeholders. 

Face-to-face engagement 

Face-to-face engagement remains an 

important means of communication 

with all stakeholders, particularly nurses 

and employers. 

The Chief Executive and members of 

the senior management team regularly 

meet with key stakeholders including: 

• the Minister of Health 

• the Chief Nurse of the Ministry 

of Health 

• the New Zealand Nurses Organisation 

• the New Zealand Qualifications 

Authority 

• Nurse Educators in the Tertiary Sector 

• the College of Deans 

• directors of nursing and nurse leaders 

• professional associations that 

represent nurses 

• other health regulatory authorities. 

They also regularly meet directly 

with nurses and students of nursing 

throughout the country. 

The Council actively pursues 

engagement with nursing regulators 

around the world in order to learn, 

share best practice and benchmark 

its performance. This is a strategic goal 

for the Council, and more information 

on these activities can be found on 

page 20. 

Website 

The website, as the Council’s primary 

channel of communication with 

stakeholders, aims to be an easily 

navigable, user-friendly source of 

information that lets any visitor see what 

the Council has been doing or is doing. 

It has become the primary resource for 

information about nursing regulation in 

New Zealand. 

During the 2016-2017 year 

there were more than 831,000 

visits to the website. 

Of these visits, 67% were from New 

Zealand, 5% were from the Philippines, 

5% were from India and the remaining 

23% were from the rest of the world. 

The news section of the website 

ensures important announcements and 

information from the Council are readily 

accessible. In the last year 14 posts were 

made covering a wide range of subjects. 

Digital communications 

The Council’s digital communications 

programme works in alignment with 

its website strategy, both alerting 

stakeholders to new online content and 

communicating directly with them. 

Update, the Council’s e-newsletter for 

nurses, was emailed directly to nurses 

four times during the year. It was also 

available online. 

Print publications 

The Council retains a print publications 

programme for documents with a longerterm 

shelf life and wide audience interest 

across stakeholder groups. Publications in 

the past year included: 

• 2016 Annual Report, the organisation’s 

key publication, which gives readers 

an easily accessible overview of the 

Council’s role, responsibilities and work. 

It is also downloadable from the website 

• The Nursing Cohort Report 2016, 

which tracks two cohorts of New 

Zealand graduates and internationally 


• reprints of the Code of Conduct and 

Guidelines: Professional Boundaries. 

Nursing demographics 

visualised in online 

‘atlas’ 

The Council created 

an online tool to make 

demographic data about 

nurses and nursing more 

accessible and interactive. 

Demand for data has been 

increasing and the new online 

‘atlas’ makes it easier and faster 

for nurses, employers, workforce 

planners, educators and the 

public to access and view nursing 

workforce statistics directly, and 

whenever it suits them. The data 

corresponds to that in the Council’s 

regular workforce publications. 

Visitors can navigate the data using 

a range of indicators including 

nurse numbers; age and gender; 

hours worked; area of practice; 

scope; qualifications; country 

where the nursing qualification was 

received; and ethnicity. 


Corporate Functions 

Information systems 

The online renewal of annual practising 

certificates (APCs) was fully embedded 

during the year. By the end of March 2017, 

99.25% of APCs had been renewed online, 

with 100% of new graduates making their 

applications online. Work continued to 

support internationally qualified nurses 

(IQNs) to make their application online. 

Human resources 

During the year all human resource 

policies and employment agreements 

were reviewed to ensure these were 

compliant with the new legislation. 

At the end of March 2017 the Council 

employed 34 permanent staff and 3.88 

part-time permanent staff. 

Health and Safety 

With the implementation of the Health 

and Safety at Work Act 2015 the Council 

undertook a compliance review of the 

premises and business practices and 

developed reporting formats. 

Finance and risk 

During the year the Council undertook 

a costing review of all the services it 

provides to ensure fees are charged on 

a cost-recovery basis. The outcome of 

this review was that no fees would be 

increased. 

Year-end accounting 

The Financial Statements of the Council 

have been prepared in accordance with 

Generally Accepted Accounting Practice 

in New Zealand (NZ GAAP). They comply 

with Public Benefit Entity International 

Public Sector Accounting Standards (PBE 

IPSAS) and other applicable financial 

reporting standards, as appropriate, that 

have been authorised for use by the 

External Reporting Board for public sector 

entities. For the purposes of complying 

with NZ GAAP, the Council is a public 

sector public benefit entity and is eligible 

to apply Tier 2 Public Sector PBE IPSAS 

on the basis that it does not have public 

accountability and is not defined as large. 

The Finance and Audit Committee 

The Committee scrutinises the financial 

accounts, reviews and maintains financial 

systems, and considers the Council’s 

finance and management policies. 

The Committee met 10 times in 

2016-2017 to: 

• consider the annual budget and table 

this with the Council for final approval 

• liaise with external auditors about the 

final year-end accounts 

• consider monthly financial reports and 

annual accounts 

• monitor the collection of debt 

• continually analyse all areas of risk to 

the Council and report on the same 

• consider related policy. 

Members of the Finance 

and Audit Committee 

Patricia Seymour (Convenor) 


Conway Powell 

Jo Ann Walton 


Financial 

Statements 

66 

67 

68 

Statement of Comprehensive 

Revenue and Expense 

Statement of Changes 

in Net Assets/Equity 

Statement of 

Financial Position 

69 Cash Flow Statement 

70 

Notes to the 

Financial Statements 

81 Auditor’s Report

Statement of Comprehensive 

Revenue and Expense 

For the year ended 31 March 2017 

NOTE 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Revenue from non-exchange transactions 

Registration Income – Annual Practising Certificate 4,800,950 4,686,517 

Disciplinary Levies 479,151 466,880 

Disciplinary Orders and Recoveries 92,636 206,685 

5,372,738 5,360,082 

Revenue from exchange transactions 

Registration Income – Other 1,484,620 1,161,440 

Interest Received 242,295 256,794 

Sundry Income 690,034 236,577 

Education and Standards Income 534,955 466,431 

2,951,903 2,121,241 

Total revenue 8,324,641 7,481,323 

Expenses 

Corporate Services Expenses 6 2,794,304 2,470,511 

Education and Standards Expenses 501,041 476,835 

Registration Expenses – Annual Practising Certificate 121,933 97,660 

Registration Expenses – Other 8 1,150,550 1,021,616 

Disciplinary Expenses 9 985,055 1,117,224 

Fitness to Practise Expenses 715,026 759,292 

Council Expenses 15 259,050 183,706 

Strategic Policy 248,027 222,889 

Operational Projects 123,432 82,261 

Strategic Projects 17,242 24,178 

Total expenses 6,915,660 6,456,172 

Total surplus for the year 1,408,981 1,025,151 

Other comprehensive revenue and expenses - - 

Total comprehensive revenue and expense for the year 1,408,981 1,025,151 

These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements. 


Statement of Changes 

in Net Assets/Equity 


NOTE 

ACCUMULATED 

COMPREHENSIVE 

REVENUE AND 

EXPENSE 

$ 

TOTAL 

EQUITY 

$ 

Opening balance 1 April 2016 6,510,503 6,510,503 

Surplus for the year 1,408,981 1,408,981 

Other comprehensive income - - 

Closing equity 31 March 2017 7,919,484 7,919,484 

Opening balance 1 April 2015 5,485,352 5,485,352 

Surplus for the year 1,025,151 1,025,151 

Other comprehensive income - - 

Closing equity 31 March 2016 6,510,503 6,510,503 



Statement of 

Financial Position 


NOTE 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Current assets 

Cash and cash equivalents 755,696 696,887 

Cash and cash equivalents (investments) 12 2,100,000 1,500,000 

Prepayments 74,972 57,308 

Receivables from exchange transactions 10 230,017 957,718 

Receivables from non-exchange transactions 11 64,610 27,627 

Investments (over 3 months) 12 3,600,000 3,500,000 

6,825,295 6,739,541 

Non-current assets 

Intangible assets 13 263,818 382,416 

Property, plant and equipment 14 851,963 1,027,953 

Receivables from non-exchange transactions 11 36,046 51,981 

Investments 12 2,300,000 700,000 

Artwork 2,506 2,506 

3,454,332 2,164,856 

Total assets 10,279,627 8,904,397 

Current liabilities 

Accounts payable 559,498 568,450 

Lease incentive 59,225 34,035 

Finance lease 27,859 21,400 

Employee entitlements 164,448 171,111 

Revenue in advance from exchange transactions - 22,174 

Revenue in advance from non-exchange transactions 1,206,844 1,148,435 

Total current liabilities 2,017,874 1,965,605 

Non-current liabilities 

Finance lease 110,135 136,930 

Lease incentive 232,134 291,359 

Total non-current liabilities 342,269 428,289 

Total liabilities 2,360,144 2,393,894 

Net assets 7,919,484 6,510,503 

Equity 

Accumulated comprehensive revenue and expense 7,919,484 6,510,503 

Total net assets attributable to the owners 7,919,484 6,510,503 


Signed for and on behalf of the Council Members, 

who authorised these financial statements for issue 

on 15 August 2017. CHAIRPERSON CHIEF EXECUTIVE 


Cash Flow 

Statement 


NOTE 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Cash flows from operating activities 

Receipts 

Receipts from APC fees 4,854,007 4,694,046 

Receipts from disciplinary levies 484,503 467,597 

Receipts from non-exchange transactions 55,278 162,529 

Receipts from other exchange transactions 3,070,562 1,056,438 

Interest received 261,475 225,451 

8,725,826 6,606,061 

Payments 

Interest paid (17,122) - 

Payments to suppliers and employees (6,280,815) (5,570,789) 

(6,297,937) (5,570,789) 

Net cash flows from operating activities 2,427,888 1,035,272 

Cash flows from investing activities 

Receipts 

Sale of property, plant and equipment and intangibles 5,093 1,147 

5,093 1,147 

Payments 

Purchase of property, plant and equipment and intangibles (74,173) (930,417) 

Investment in long-term deposits (1,700,000) 500,000 

Investment in short-term deposits (600,000) (700,000) 

(2,374,173) (1,130,417) 

Net cash flows from investing activities 

Net cash flows from investing activities (2,369,079) (1,129,270) 

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 58,809 (93,999) 

Cash and cash equivalents at 1 April 696,887 790,886 

Cash and cash equivalents at 31 March 755,696 696,887 



Notes to the 

Financial Statements 


1. Reporting entity 

The Nursing Council of New Zealand (“the Council”) is 

domiciled in New Zealand and is a charitable organisation 

registered under the Charities Act 2005. The Council 

is governed by the Health Practitioners Competence 

Assurance Act 2003. The role of the Council is to protect 

the public by setting standards for nursing in New Zealand. 

These financial statements have been approved and were 

authorised for issue by the Council Members. 

2. Statement of compliance 

The Financial statements have been prepared in 

accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practice in 

New Zealand (“NZ GAAP”). They comply with Public Benefit 

Entity International Public Sector Accounting Standards 

(“PBE IPSAS”) and other applicable financial reporting 

standards as appropriate that have been authorised for use 

by the External Reporting Board for public sector entities. 

For the purposes of complying with NZ GAAP, the Council 

is a public sector public benefit entity and is eligible to apply 

Tier 2 Public Sector PBE IPSAS on the basis that it does not 

have public accountability and it is not defined as large. 

The Council members have elected to report in accordance 

with Tier 2 Public Sector PBE Accounting Standards and in 

doing so have taken advantage of all applicable Reduced 

Disclosure Regime (“RDR”) disclosure concessions. 

3. Changes in accounting policies 

This is the second set of financial statement of the Council 

that is presented in accordance with PBE standards. The 

Council had previously reported in accordance with “Old 

NZ GAAP”. The accounting policies adopted in these 

financial statements are consistent with those of the 

previous financial year. 

4. Summary of accounting policies 

The significant accounting policies used in the preparation 

of these financial statements as set out below have been 

applied consistently to both years presented in these 

financial statements. 

4.1 Basis of measurement 

These financial statements have been prepared on the 

basis of historical cost. 

4.2 Functional and presentational currency 

The financial statements are presented in New Zealand 

dollars ($), which is the Council’s functional currency. All 

financial information presented in New Zealand dollars has 

been rounded to the nearest dollar. 

4.3 Revenue 

Revenue is recognised to the extent that it is probable 

that the economic benefit will flow to the Council and 

revenue can be reliably measured. Revenue is measured at 

the fair value of the consideration received. The following 

specific recognition criteria must be met before revenue is 

recognised. 

Revenue from non-exchange transactions 

Disciplinary levies and APC income 

Revenue will be recognised in full at the beginning of 

the period to which the APC and disciplinary fee relates. 

Only those fees and levies that are attributable to the 

current financial year are recognised in the Statement 

of Comprehensive Revenue and Expense. Revenue is 

deferred in respect of the portion of the annual practising 

fee that has been paid in advance. 

Disciplinary recoveries 

Disciplinary recoveries represent fines and costs awarded 

to the Council by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary 

Tribunal (HPDT). The amount awarded represents a 

percentage or a portion of the Professional Conduct 

Committees (PCC) and HPDT costs. 

Once awarded by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary 

Tribunal (HPDT), disciplinary recoveries are reflected in 

the accounts at the time those costs were incurred and at 

the amount determined by the HPDT. 

Revenue from exchange transactions 

Interest income 

Interest revenue is recognised as it accrues, using the 

effective interest method. 


Sundry income 

All other revenue from exchange transactions is 

recognised when earned and is reported in the financial 

period to which it relates. 

4.4 Financial instruments 

Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised 

when the Council becomes a party to the contractual 

provisions of the financial instrument. 

The Council derecognises a financial asset or, where 

applicable, a part of a financial asset or part of a group 

of similar financial assets when the rights to receive cash 

flows from the asset have expired or are waived, or the 

Council has transferred its rights to receive cash flows 

from the asset or has assumed an obligation to pay the 

received cash flows in full without material delay to a 

third party; and either: 

- the Council has transferred substantially all the risks 

and rewards of the asset; or 

- the Council has neither transferred nor retained 

substantially all the risks and rewards of the asset, but 

has transferred control of the asset. 

Financial assets 

Financial assets within the scope of PBE IPSAS 29 (PS) 

Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement are 

classified as financial assets at fair value through surplus or 

deficit, loans and receivables, held-to-maturity investments 

or available-for-sale financial assets. The classifications of 

the financial assets are determined at initial recognition. 

The categorisation determines subsequent measurement 

and whether any resulting income and expense is recognised 

in surplus or deficit or in other comprehensive revenue and 

expenses. The Council’s financial assets are classified as loans 

and receivables. The Council’s financial assets include: cash 

and cash equivalents, short-term investments, receivables 

from non-exchange transactions, receivables from exchange 

transactions, and non-equity investments. 

All financial assets are subject to review for impairment at 

least at each reporting date. Financial assets are impaired 

when there is any objective evidence that a financial asset 

or group of financial assets is impaired. Different criteria 

to determine impairment are applied for each category of 

financial assets, which are described below. 

Loans and receivables 

Loans and receivables are non-derivative financial assets 

with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted 

in an active market. After initial recognition, these are 

measured at amortised cost using the effective interest 

method, less any allowance for impairment. The Council’s 

cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, 

receivables from non-exchange transactions, receivables 

from exchange transactions and non-equity investments 

fall into this category of financial instruments. 

Impairment of financial assets 

The Council assesses at the end of reporting date whether 

there is objective evidence that a financial asset or a group 

of financial assets is impaired. A financial asset or a group 

of financial assets is impaired and impairment losses are 

incurred if there is objective evidence of impairment as a 

result of one or more events that occurred after the initial 

recognition of the asset (a “loss event”) and that loss event 

has an impact on the estimated future cash flows of the 

financial asset or the group of financial assets that can be 

reliably estimated. 

For financial assets carried at amortised cost, if there is 

objective evidence that an impairment loss on loans and 

receivables carried at amortised cost has been incurred, the 

amount of the loss is measured as the difference between 

the asset’s carrying amount and the present value of the 

estimated future cash flows discounted at the financial 

asset’s original effective interest rate. The carrying amount 

of the asset is reduced through the use of an allowance 

account. The amount of the loss is recognised in the 

surplus or deficit for the reporting period. 

In determining whether there is any objective evidence 

of impairment, the Council first assesses whether there is 

objective evidence of impairment of financial assets that 

are individually significant, and individually or collectively 

significant for financial assets that are not individually 

significant. If the Council determines that there is no 

objective evidence of impairment for an individually 


assessed financial asset, it includes the asset in a group 

of financial assets with similar credit risk characteristics 

and collectively assesses them for impairment. Assets that 

are individually assessed for impairment and for which an 

impairment loss is or continues to be recognised are not 

included in a collective assessment for impairment. 

If in a subsequent period, the amount of the impairment 

loss decreases and the decrease can be related objectively 

to an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, 

the previously recognised impairment loss is reversed by 

adjusting the allowance account. If the reversal results in the 

carrying amount exceeding its amortised cost, the amount 

of the reversal is recognised in surplus or deficit. 

Financial liabilities 

The Council’s financial liabilities include accounts payable 

(excluding GST and PAYE) and employee entitlements. 

All financial liabilities are initially recognised at fair value 

(plus transaction cost for financial liabilities not at fair value 

through surplus or deficit) and are measured subsequently 

at amortised cost using the effective interest method except 

for financial liabilities at fair value through surplus or deficit. 

4.5 Allowance for recoverable legal fees 

An allowance is an expectation that either all or part of the 

recoverable legal fees will not be recovered in the future. 

An allowance has been made in the Statement of 

Comprehensive Revenue and Expense for those recoverable 

legal fees that are deemed doubtful. Doubtful debts have 

been provided for based on a three part calculation: 

Part 1 

Part 2 

Part 3 

Receivables recognised as current year are not 

provided for unless information is available to 

suggest specific provision is required. 

Receivables other than current year with a 

payment arrangement in place. If the payment 

arrangement will not clear the receivable 

balance within five years of balance date then 

the excess balance is specifically provided for. 

Receivables other than current year with 

no payment arrangement in place are 100% 

provided for. 

The sum of the parts forms the allowance for doubtful 

debts shown in Note 11. 

4.6 Cash and cash equivalents 

Cash and cash equivalents are short-term, highly liquid 

investments that are readily convertible to known amounts 

of cash and which are subject to an insignificant risk of 

changes in value. 

4.7 Short-term investments 

Short-term investments comprise term deposits which 

have a term of greater than three months and therefore do 

not fall into the category of cash and cash equivalents. 

4.8 Property, plant and equipment 

Items of property, plant and equipment are measured at 

cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. 

Cost includes expenditure that is directly attributable to 

the acquisition of the asset. Where an asset is acquired 

through a non-exchange transaction, its cost is measured 

at its fair value as at the date of acquisition. 

Depreciation is charged on a straight line basis over the 

useful life of the asset. Depreciation is charged at rates 

calculated to allocate the cost or valuation of the asset less 

any estimated residual value over its remaining useful life: 

Leasehold Improvements 

Fixtures & Fittings 

Office Equipment 

Computer Equipment 

6 years 

10 years 

3 – 10 years 

3 years 

Depreciation methods, useful lives and residual values are 

reviewed at each reporting date and are adjusted if there 

is a change in the expected pattern of consumption of the 

future economic benefits or service potential embodied in 

the asset. 

4.9 Intangible assets 

Intangible assets acquired separately are measured on 

initial recognition at cost. The cost of intangible assets 

acquired in a non-exchange transaction is their fair value 

at the date of the exchange. The cost of intangible assets 

acquired in a business combination is their fair value at the 

date of acquisition. 

Following initial recognition, intangible assets are 

carried at cost less any accumulated amortisation and 

accumulated impairment losses. Internally generated 

intangibles, excluding capitalised development costs, are 

not capitalised and the related expenditure is reflected in 

surplus or deficit in the period in which the expenditure 

is incurred. 

The useful lives of intangible assets are assessed as either 

finite or indefinite. 

Intangible assets with finite lives are amortised over 

the useful economic life and assessed for impairment 

whenever there is an indication that the intangible asset 

may be impaired. 


The amortisation period and the amortisation method for 

an intangible asset with a finite useful life are reviewed 

at least at the end of each reporting period. Changes 

in the expected useful life or the expected pattern of 

consumption of future economic benefits or service 

potential embodied in the asset are considered to modify 

the amortisation period or method, as appropriate, and are 

treated as changes in accounting estimates. 

The amortisation expense on intangible assets with finite 

lives is recognised in surplus or deficit as the expense 

category that is consistent with the function of the 

intangible assets. 

The Council does not hold any intangible assets that have 

an indefinite life. 

The amortisation periods for the Council’s assets are 

as follows: 

Registration Software 

Case Management System 

4.10 Leases 

5 years 

5 years 

Payments on operating lease agreements, where the lessor 

retains substantially the risk and rewards of ownership of 

an asset, are recognised as an expense on a straight-line 

basis over the lease term. 

4.11 Employee benefits 

Wages, salaries and annual leave 

Liabilities for wages, salaries and annual leave are 

recognised in surplus or deficit during the period in which 

the employee provided the related services. Liabilities 

for the associated benefits are measured at the amounts 

expected to be paid when the liabilities are settled. 

4.12 Income tax 

The Council is exempt from income tax as it was 

registered as a charitable entity under the Charities Act 

2005 to maintain its tax exemption status. 

4.13 Goods and services tax (GST) 

Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the 

amount of GST except for receivables and payables, which 

are stated with the amount of GST included. 

The net amount of GST recoverable from, or payable to, 

the Inland Revenue is included as part of receivables or 

payables in the Statement of Financial Position. 

Cash flows are included in the Cash Flow Statement 

on a net basis and the GST component of cash flows 

arising from investing and financing activities, which is 

recoverable from, or payable to, the Inland Revenue is 

classified as part of operating cash flows. 

4.14 Equity 

Equity is measured as the difference between total assets 

and total liabilities. Equity is made up of the following 

component: 

Accumulated comprehensive revenue and expense 

Accumulated comprehensive revenue and expense is the 

Council’s accumulated surplus or deficit since its formation. 

5. Significant accounting judgements, estimates 

and assumptions 

The preparation of the Council’s financial statements 

requires management to make judgements, estimates 

and assumptions that affect the reported amounts 

of revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities, and 

the accompanying disclosures, and the disclosure 

of contingent liabilities. Uncertainty about these 

assumptions and estimates could result in outcomes 

that require a material adjustment to the carrying 

amount of assets or liabilities affected in future periods. 

Judgements 

In the process of applying the Council’s accounting 

policies, management have not made any significant 

judgements that would have a material impact on the 

financial statements. 

Estimates and assumptions 

The key assumptions concerning the future and other 

key sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting 

date, that have a significant risk of causing a material 

adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities 

within the next financial year, are described below. 

The Council based its assumptions and estimates on 

parameters available when the financial statements 

were prepared. Existing circumstances and assumptions 

about future developments, however, may change due 

to market changes or circumstances arising beyond the 

control of the Council. Such changes are reflected in the 

assumptions when they occur. 

Useful lives and residual values 

The useful lives and residual values of assets are 

assessed using the following indicators to determine 

potential future use and value from disposal: 

– The condition of the asset 

– The nature of the asset, its susceptibility and 

adaptability to changes in technology and processes 

– The nature of the processes in which the asset is deployed 

– Availability of funding to replace the asset 

– Changes in the market in relation to the asset. 

The estimated useful lives of the asset classes held 

by the Council are listed in Notes 4.8 and 4.9. 


6. Corporate Services expenses 

Corporate Services expenses includes the following specific expenses: 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Audit Fees 28,060 27,560 

Depreciation 231,427 138,803 

Amortisation 130,783 174,880 

Loss on Sale of Fixed Assets 6,552 21,067 

Human Resources 55,651 15,599 

Financial Services 1,726 3,001 

Rent 386,344 242,768 

Salaries 1,035,719 957,031 

Other Corporate Services Expenses 918,042 889,802 

Total Corporate Services Expenses 2,794,304 2,470,511 

7. Auditor's remuneration 

Staples Rodway provides audit services to the Council. The audit fees charged for the 2017 audit were $28,060 (2016: $27,560). 

No non-audit services are provided by Staples Rodway. 

8. Registration expenses – other 

Registration expenses – other, includes the following specific expenses: 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Salaries 726,534 682,295 

Other Registration Expenses 424,016 339,321 

Total Registration – Other 1,150,550 1,021,616 

9. Disciplinary expenses 

Disciplinary expenses includes the following specific expenses: 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Doubtful Debts 16,310 26,569 

Conduct Expenses 651,128 668,492 

Other Disciplinary Expenses 317,617 422,163 

Total Disciplinary Expenses 985,055 1,117,224 


10. Receivables from exchange transactions 

Receivables from exchange transactions include the following components: 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Accounts Receivable 86,640 469,767 

Rent Free Period - 325,394 

Interest Receivable 143,377 162,557 

Total Receivables from Exchange Transactions 230,017 957,718 

An adjustment has been processed in the prior period to recognise the rent free holiday asset on lease inception. This has not 

had any effect on the Statement of Comprehensive Revenue and Expense in the prior period. 

11. Receivables from non-exchange transactions 

Receivables from non-exchange transactions are recoverable legal fees, which include the following components: 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Current Assets 

Recoverable Legal Fees 82,877 59,381 

Less: Allowance for Doubtful Debts (18,267) (31,754) 

Total Current Receivables from Non-Exchange Transactions 64,610 27,627 

Non-Current Assets 



Total Non-Current Receivables from Non-Exchange Transactions 36,046 51,981 



Total Receivables from Non-Exchange Transactions 100,656 79,608 

12. Investments 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Current Assets 

Term deposits – Maturing within 3 months of balance date 2,100,000 1,500,000 

Term deposits – Maturing between 3 and 12 months of balance date 3,600,000 3,500,000 

Total Current Investments 5,700,000 5,000,000 

Non-Current Assets 

Term deposits – Maturing 12 months after balance date 2,300,000 700,000 

Total Non-Current Investments 2,300,000 700,000 


13. Intangible assets 

2017 

REGISTRATION 

SOFTWARE 

$ 

CASE 

MANAGEMENT 

$ 

TOTAL 

$ 

Cost 1,159,999 301,979 1,461,978 

Less: Accumulated Amortisation (1,084,095) (114,065) (1,198,160) 

Net Book Value 75,904 187,914 263,818 

2016 

Cost 1,147,814 301,979 1,449,793 

Less: Accumulated Amortisation (1,012,760) (54,617) (1,067,377) 

Net Book Value 135,053 247,362 382,416 

Reconciliation of the carrying amount at the beginning and end of the period: 

2017 

REGISTRATION 

SOFTWARE 

$ 

CASE 

MANAGEMENT 

$ 

TOTAL 

$ 

Opening balance 135,053 247,362 382,416 

Additions 12,185 - 12,185 

Disposals - - - 

Amortisation (71,335) (59,448) (130,783) 

Closing Balance 75,904 187,914 263,818 

2016 

Opening balance 259,418 288,437 547,855 

Additions 9,441 - 9,441 

Disposals - - - 

Amortisation (133,805) (41,075) (174,880) 

Closing Balance 135,053 247,362 382,416 


14. Plant, property and equipment 

2017 

COMPUTER 

EQUIPMENT 

$ 

FIXTURES AND 

FITTINGS 

$ 

LEASEHOLD 

IMPROVEMENTS 

$ 

OFFICE 

EQUIPMENT 

$ 

TOTAL 

$ 

Cost 287,251 262,818 618,555 193,002 1,361,626 

Less: Accumulated 

Depreciation 

(226,274) (118,266) (115,204) (49,920) (509,663) 

Net Book Value 60,978 144,553 503,350 143,082 851,963 

2016 

Cost 258,151 237,655 621,542 189,554 1,306,903 

Less: Accumulated 

Depreciation 

(159,944) (92,971) (12,111) (13,923) (278,949) 

Net Book Value 98,207 144,684 609,431 175,631 1,027,953 

Reconciliation of the carrying amount at the beginning and end of the period: 

2017 

COMPUTER 

EQUIPMENT 

$ 

FIXTURES AND 

FITTINGS 

$ 

LEASEHOLD 

IMPROVEMENTS 

$ 

OFFICE 

EQUIPMENT 

$ 

TOTAL 

$ 

Opening balance 98,207 144,684 609,431 175,631 1,027,953 

Additions 31,271 25,163 2,105 3,447 61,987 

Disposals (1,458) - (5,093) - (6,552) 

Depreciation (67,043) (25,295) (103,093) (35,997) (231,427) 

Closing Balance 60,978 144,553 503,350 143,082 851,963 

2016 

Opening balance 109,357 84,843 32,816 17,717 244,733 

Additions 62,962 88,872 617,206 175,193 944,233 

Disposals (1,066) (10,065) (2,998) (8,081) (22,210) 

Depreciation (73,045) (18,966) (37,594) (9,198) (138,803) 

Closing Balance 98,207 144,684 609,431 175,631 1,027,953 


15. Related party transactions 

These expenses relate to all the activities of Council Members 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Council Meeting Fees 110,125 82,496 

Council Travel 113,437 72,649 

Council Expenses 14,553 11,482 

Council Development 20,935 17,079 

259,050 183,706 

The total fees earned by Council members attending meetings during the year were: 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

C Abel-Pattinson - 1,575 

C Byrne 32,956 23,061 

C Byrne (Auckland District Health Board) 3,570 5,502 

B Carran - 3,056 

T Fereti 11,907 4,788 

K Holloway (Whitireia) 504 6,300 

K Holloway (Victoria University) 5,355 - 

J Hopson 8,694 5,040 

T Kemp 5,796 6,048 

C Powell (Powell Consulting) 9,812 3,119 

D Rowe - 1,486 

P Seymour 5,938 4,883 

P Snowden 3,780 756 

J Walton 21,814 16,884 

Key management personnel 

110,125 82,496 

The key management personnel, as defined by PBE IPSAS 20 PS Related Party Disclosures, are the members of the governing 

body, which comprises the Council Members, the Chief Executive/Registrar, Corporate Services Manager, Fitness to Practise 

Manager, Strategic Policy Manager, Education and Standards Manager, and Registration Manager. The remuneration paid 

to the Council Members is set out above. The aggregate remuneration of key management personnel and the number of 

individuals, determined on a headcount basis, receiving remuneration are as follows: 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Total Remuneration 873,214 855,512 

Number of Persons 6 6 


16. Leases 

As at the reporting date, the Council has entered into the following non-cancellable operating leases. 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Not later than one year 386,344 148,523 

Later than one year and no later than five years 1,480,264 1,782,276 

Later than five years - 408,438 

1,866,608 2,339,237 

17. Categories of financial assets and liabilities 

The carrying amounts of financial instruments presented in the Statement of Financial Position relate to the following 

categories of assets and liabilities: 

2017 

$ 

2016 

$ 

Financial Assets 

Loans and Receivables 

Cash and Cash Equivalents 755,696 696,887 

Cash and Cash Equivalents (investment less than 3 months) 2,100,000 1,500,000 

Prepayments 74,972 57,308 

Short-term Investments (between 3 and 12 months) 3,600,000 3,500,000 

Receivables from Exchange Transactions 230,017 957,718 

Receivables from Non-Exchange Transactions 100,656 79,608 

Investments (long-term) 2,300,000 700,000 

9,161,341 7,491,521 

Financial Liabilities 

At Amortised Cost 

Accounts Payable 559,496 568,448 

Employee Entitlements 164,447 171,111 

Lease Incentive 291,359 325,394 

Finance Lease 137,994 158,330 

1,153,297 1,223,283 

An adjustment has been processed in the prior period to recognise the rent free holiday asset on lease inception. This has not 

had any effect on the Statement of Comprehensive Revenue and Expense in the prior period. 


18. Capital commitments 

There were no capital commitments at the reporting date (2016: $Nil). 

19. Contingent assets and liabilities 

There were no contingent assets or liabilities at the reporting date (2016: $Nil). 

20. Events after the reporting date 

During the early part of the new financial year the Council considered the need for additional office space and subsequently 

agreed to lease Level 7, 22 Willeston Street at an annual cost of $179,343. 

The Council also commenced an organisational review, the outcome of which might result in increased staff numbers 

(events after reporting date 2016: $Nil). 

 


Auditor's Report 

Level 6, 95 Customhouse Quay 

Wellington 6011, 

New Zealand 

PO Box 1208 

Wellington 6140, 

New Zealand 

Telephone +64 4 472 7919 

Facsimile +64 4 473 4720 

www.staplesrodway.com 

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Readers of Nursing Council of 

New Zealand’s Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2017 

The Auditor-General is the auditor of Nursing Council of 

New Zealand (the Council). The Auditor-General has appointed 

me, Robert Elms, using the staff and resources of Staples 

Rodway Wellington, to carry out the audit of the financial 

statements of the Council on her behalf. 

Opinion 

We have audited the financial statements of the Council on 

pages 66 to 80, that comprise the statement of financial position 

as at 31 March 2017, the statement of comprehensive revenue 

and expenses, statement of changes in net assets/equity and 

cash flow statement for the year ended on that date and the 

notes to the financial statements that include accounting 

policies and other explanatory information. 

In our opinion the financial statements of the Council on 

pages 66 to 80, present fairly, in all material respects: 

– its financial position as at 31 March 2017; and 

– its financial performance and cash flows for the year then 

ended; and 

– comply with generally accepted accounting practice in 

New Zealand and have been prepared in accordance with 

Public Benefit Entity Standards Reduced Disclosure Regime. 

Our audit was completed on 22 August 2016. This is the date 

at which our opinionis expressed. 

The basis of our opinion is explained below. In addition, 

we outline the responsibilities of the Council and our 

responsibilities relating to the financial statements, and 

we explain our independence. 

Basis of Opinion 

We carried out our audit in accordance with the Auditor- 

General’s Auditing Standards, which incorporate the 

Professional and Ethical Standards and International Standards 

on Auditing (New Zealand) issued by the New Zealand Auditing 

and Assurance Standards Board. Our responsibilities under 

those standards are further described in the Responsibilities 

of the Auditor section of our report. 

We have fulfilled our responsibilities in accordance with the 

Auditor-General's Auditing Standards. 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is 

sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. 

Responsibilities of the Governing 

Body for the financial statements 

The Governing body is responsible for preparing financial 

statements that are fairly presented and that comply with 

generally accepted accounting practice in New Zealand. 

The Governing Body is responsible for such internal control as 

it determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial 

statements that are free from material misstatement, whether 

due to fraud or error. 

In preparing the financial statements, the Governing Body is 

responsible on behalf of the Council for assessing the Council's 

ability to continue as a going concern. The Governing Body are 

also responsible for disclosing, as applicable, matters related to 

going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting, 

unless there is an intention to liquidate the Council or to cease 

operations, or there is no realistic alternative but to do so. 

The Governing Body's responsibilities arise from the Health 

Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. 


Responsibilities of the auditor for the 

audit of the financial statements 

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about 

whether the financial statements, as a whole, are free from 

material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to 

issue and auditor's report that includes our opinion. 

Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is 

not a guarantee that an audit carried out in accordance with 

the Auditor-General's Auditing Standards will always detect 

a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements are 

differences or omissions of amounts or disclosures, and can 

arise from fraud or error. Misstatements are considered material 

if, individually or in the aggregate, the could reasonably be 

expected to influence the decisions of readers taken on the 

basis of these financial statements. 

We did not evaluate the security and controls over the 

electronic publication of the financial statements. 

As part of an audit in accordance with the Auditor-General's 

Auditing Standards, we exercise professional judgment and 

maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. Also: 

– We identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of 

the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design 

and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and 

obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to 

provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a 

material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than 

for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, 

forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the 

override of internal control. 

– We obtain an understanding of internal control relevant 

to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are 

appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose 

of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Council's 

internal control. 

– We evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used 

and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related 

disclosures made by the governing body. 

– We conclude on the appropriateness of the use of the going 

concern basis of accounting by the governing body and, 

based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material 

uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may 

cast significant doubt on the Council's ability to continue as 

a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty 

exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor's 

report to the related disclosures in the financial statements 

or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. 

Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up 

to the date of our auditor's report. However, future events or 

conditions may cause the Council to cease to continue as a 

going concern. 

– We evaluate the overall presentation, structure and 

content of the financial statements, including the 

disclosures, and whether the financial statements 

represent the underlying transactions and events in a 

manner that achieves fair presentation. 

We communicate with the Governing Body regarding, among 

other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and 

significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in 

internal control that we identify during our audit. 

Our responsibility arises from section 15 of the Public Audit Act 

2001 and section 134(1) of the Health Practitioners Competence 

Assurance Act 2003. 

Independence 

We are independent of the Council in accordance with the 

independence requirements of the Auditor-General's Auditing 

Standards, which incorporate the independence requirements 

of Professional and Ethical Standard 1(Revised): Code of Ethics 

for Assurance Practitioners issued by the New Zealand Auditing 

and Assurance Standards Board. 

Other than the audit, we have no relationship with, or interests in, 

the Council. 

Robert Elms 

Staples Rodway Audit Limited 

On behalf of the Auditor-General 

Wellington, New Zealand

NZNA_AnnualReport2017_280817_v10_small

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?