Qualifications allowance
Postgraduate qualification allowance process for WA Health registered nurses and midwives
Under the current ANF Industrial agreement, registered nurses and midwives may be eligible to a qualification allowance if they meet specific criteria under Clause 22.
A nurse and/or midwife intending to apply for a qualification allowance must consider the Qualification Allowance Application Process (204KB) prior to submitting an application.
All qualification allowance applications must be assessed against Clause 22 of the WA Health System – Australian Nursing Federation – Registered Nurses, Midwives, Enrolled (Mental Health) and Enrolled (Mothercraft) Nurses – Industrial Agreement 2022 (Agreement).
To make a new application, the registered nurse or midwife is to complete the ANF Qualification Allowance (K5) form and submit this, with all required documentation, to their Director of Nursing/Midwifery (DON/M) or delegated authority for approval. A checklist of required documentation is provided in the Qualification Allowance Application Process (204KB) document.
If a DON/M or delegated authority is unable to assess a qualification against Clause 22, the application is sent to the Chief Nursing and Midwifery (CNM) Office for assessment. If an assessment determines a qualification does not meet the requirements of Clause 22, the CNM Office will forward the application to the Independent Review Panel (IRP). Qualification allowance decisions made by the CNM Office will be communicated to the DON/M or delegated authority.
To appeal a qualification allowance decision made by a DON/M or the IRP, the registered nurse or midwife is to complete the Qualification Allowance Appeal Application Form (147KB) and send this to the IRP via CNO-QAfC@health.wa.gov.au. The applicant is recommended to provide additional relevant evidence to support their claim.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure all supporting documentation is provided to the IRP as part of the appeal application. A checklist of required documentation is provided in the Qualification Allowance Application Process (204KB) document. The IRP will not consider applications submitted without the required documentation and incomplete applications will be sent back to the applicant, DON/M or delegated authority.
All enquiries regarding the ANF Qualification Allowance may be forwarded to CNO-QAfC@health.wa.gov.au.
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Clause 22 of the Agreement, Qualification Allowance, has been contemporised and reflects criteria used to assess qualifications which may attract the allowance. To be eligible, additional postgraduate qualifications must be specified in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) at Level 8 or above, unless specifically provided for in the clause.
The CNM Office, the Secretary of the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) and System-wide Industrial Relations updated the Qualifications Allowance Approved List (the Approved List) to ensure that qualifications listed reflect the assessment criteria in Clause 22.
All qualifications have been re-evaluated against subclauses (5), (6), (7), and (8), and assigned the appropriate qualification allowance level. As a result, some qualifications have been determined to attract a different qualification allowance level to that originally granted. All amendments are clearly indicated on the current list, with justification for movements provided.
Possible outcomes for nurses and midwifes:
- The majority of nurses and midwives qualification allowances will not change.
- Where a qualification level has decreased, a nurse or midwife with a current approval will be maintained. Any new applications will be assessed against the new level.
- Where a qualification level has increased, a nurse or midwife with a current approval can request a review of their qualification, with the new rate to apply from date of registration of the Agreement (14 March 2024).
- Employees with new qualifications will be assessed consistent with the clause requirements.
- A nurse or midwife seeking payment of the allowance upon permanent transfer, appointment or promotion, where the qualification is relevant to practice, position or role are required to submit a new form to have their qualification assessed consistent with Clause 22. If assessment under the criteria would result in a decrease in the level of the allowance, it will be the employer’s discretion to approve the qualification allowance at the rate that applied in the previous role, and where the employee can provide evidence to support the allowance was paid at the higher rate.
- Employees temporarily transferred or seconded with a qualification relevant to their practice, position, or role will continue to receive the allowance at the rate approved for the term of their transfer or secondment. If the qualification is not relevant to practice, position, or role, the allowance will be maintained for up to six months. (as per subclause 22(9)).
The newly audited Qualifications Allowance Approved List can be accessed here.
*Please note that the Qualifications Allowance Approved List is a reference point only and applications can be assessed without referring to the list.
All queries relating to qualification allowance assessments can be directed to CNO-QAfC@health.wa.gov.au
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Independent Review Panel (IRP)
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The IRP consists of the Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer (or Proxy), a representative from the ANF and a representative from System-Wide Industrial Relations, Department of Health. The IRP meets quarterly to
- review applications unable to be processed by individual health sites
- consider appealed applications.
All applications for review must be sent to CNO-QAfC@health.wa.gov.au and received by the submission dates listed below.
Qualification allowance appeals (147KB) must be received within 30 days of DON/M or delegate receiving IRP outcome notification and will be reviewed at the following IRP meeting.
Notification of IRP outcomes will be issued via the CNM Office within fourteen (14) business days following the IRP meeting.
Independent Review Panel meeting dates
- 26 March 2024 (applications must be submitted by COB 11 March 2024).
- 27 August 2024 (applications must be submitted by COB 15 August 2024).
- 19 November 2024 (applications must be submitted by COB 4 November 2024).
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Resources for application for qualification allowance
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Last reviewed: 29-08-2024