Practising Certificates

Things you need to know

• Applications for practising certificates are made online.  Midwives must log into their online account to apply
• All annual practising certificates expire on 31 March
• A practising certificate is required even if you work part time or intermittently
• If you commence work part way through the year, a discounted fee is payable
• There is no refund if you stop work part way through the year
• The workforce survey questions are part of the application
• It is an offence to work as a midwife without a practising certificate
• If you do not have a current practising certificate you cannot work as a midwife, you cannot claim maternity fees and you will not have any indemnity cover
• Take care of your practising certificate card; it is valuable.  It can be used to obtain controlled drugs as well as order tests and claim fees.  If it is stolen or lost please notify the Police and contact the Council immediately

The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act requires Council to satisfy itself that midwives are competent and fit to practise before issuing a practising certificate.

When an application for a practising certificate is made, the Council will check for:

1. The Declarations made in support of the practising certificate application

2. Any overdue recertification programme items

3. Any issues identified during the audit of a midwife’s portfolio

4. Any competence, health, or discipline issues that have been drawn to Council’s attention

5. The recency of practice in the different parts of the midwifery scope

6. Any other matter that Council has flagged for consideration

7. Payment of the applicable practising certificate fee.

Declarations

All midwives must make certain declarations in support of their application for a practising certificate.  These declarations are related to requirements set down in the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act (s26, s27).  You must read each declaration in the application form carefully. It is important that you tick every declaration that applies and do not tick any declaration that does not apply as any false declarations will be taken very seriously by the Council.

Recertification Programme Requirements

If there are any overdue Recertification Programme requirements at the time you apply for a practising certificate, you may be granted a short term interim practising certificate to enable you to complete these requirements.  If the outstanding items are not completed within the time frame allowed by the Council, the interim practising certificate will expire and you will not be able to practise after that date.

Course providers must send records of course participants in on a timely basis.  All midwives can check online to see the records the Council holds for their compulsory Recertification Programme courses.  This check will show when each course is next due and will highlight any overdue requirements.  If you have completed a course but the online check shows it as incomplete or overdue, you should send a copy of the course certificate to the Council as soon as possible.

We strongly urge you to check your record on a regular basis and well before you wish to apply for a practising certificate.  You must log in to your account before this option will be visible.  When logged in, the option can be found on the Welcome screen under Check Practising Certificate Requirements.

Interim Practising Certificates

Interim practising certificates for a period of less than one year are usually issued where the Council requires the midwife to complete a requirement within a time frame less than a normal practising year or where the Council wishes to reserve the right to withdraw the practising certificate if certain conditions are not met.  

Interim practising certificates may be issued to midwives undertaking a return to practice programme. Interim practising certificates are also issued to midwives who are required to undertake components of the Recertification Programme within a particular time frame in order to assure the Council of their competence.

An interim practising certificate will show any conditions applying to the midwife's practice on the reverse side.

Getting the timing right

Where there are no issues for Council consideration, applications will be processed within a few days.  Where applications must be considered by the Council it will endeavour to process the applications in a timely manner.  The time taken will depend on the nature of the issues to be considered, the volume of applications on hand, and the staff resources available. 

Practising certificate cards are ordered from an external printing company and the time taken depends on when the application was granted, when the next card order is made, the printing company's production schedules, and time in the post.  Delivery typically can take up to ten working days after the application has been granted but this can vary.