jillyrj

Hi All - this is the first time i've ever written in a forum. I read them from time to time for info and user experience but havent written before. I've had a recent experience with AHPRA application and wanted to share it with you - hopefully it will help someone?

So I'm a UK registered Adult nurse and british citizen. Made the decision to move down under last year and applied for AHPRA in November 2013.
I researched it and went overboard with my application paperwork, gave everything I could think of, school letters, employment letters, character referenced etc. cost me £25 to go before the court and have my documents certified.

My application was confirmed received 13.12.2013. I used standard mail, didn't track it but got recorded delivery I think. They took the full application charge from my bank 21/12/13.

On Jan 12th I had an e-mail saying I had checked 'enrolled nurse' to apply for when infact as I have a degree in nursing I should have checked 'Registered nurse'. I filled out a new front page and posted this off to Oz again.

I visited QLD in February to see friends and while there on 18th Feb I received another e-mail stating I had ticked 'no' to indemnity instead of yes, and also that I had only written the blurb that my CV was true and correct on the front page of the CV and it needed to be on every page......Ugh!
Luckily I was in QLD so I posted this locally and it was confirmed received on 20th Feb 2014. I was told 4-6 weeks for completion which would have been 3rd April......I'm STILL waiting.

I ring once a week and have sent countless web enquiry forms - none are ever replied to. When I ring and speak to someone my application is in NSW or being reviewed for education standards, or in the final stages. Noone really knows??

I read today that the education standards have now changed:
http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov...ia-nurses.aspx

I so hope they won't want more info from me - surely they can't if they've only asked for the CV update since the new standards went in on 10th Feb?

I'm fed up of waiting....not knowing.

To make it worse when I visited Oz in Feb I had job interviews and I have a 457 visa offer and job waiting on this AHPRA registration. I cannot see them waiting much longer....and yes I have a 457 offer so to all those thinking its not possible it is!! I didn;t think so and was going down the PR 189 route but out of the blue they just offered it me.

I feel better for a rant and maybe someone else reading this might feel better someone else is having problems or in a similar situation?

Jilly x

genorm

My understanding is that currently, Brisbane applications are being handled by Sydney - which is notoriously slow.

Darwin is still the best office to submit to.

25 quid is a good price to pay for court certification - some notary's charge that per document.

jillyrj

Hi there....
slow I can deal with, its the lack of communication and just not knowing i'm struggling with. No-one knows anything when I phone up. I have a visa and job riding on this registration.....

Yes i thought £25 was excellent! I shopped around and prices ranged from £100 per document in a solicitors to making a statuatory declaration at court for £25 - well worth sitting in court all day is as there were alot of documents!

YvetteCamille

Hi Jil,

Sorry to hear that youre still waiitng, 5 months in total without LOA sounds awful! I've just sent my stuff over but like you I've written on my CV about it being true etc just on the last page, oops!
Keep us posted on how you get on I'm interested to know, good luck and hope you get registered soon!

bigmac1

I've not been waiting as long as you yet Jilly but was unable to get a timeline from AHPRA when I contacted them. All I've been told is that my application is with the board for assessment of my qualifications & for a descision to be made on eligibility. It's very frustrating when you see jobs that you'd like to apply for, as they don't come up that often for child & family health nurses, but have no idea how long it's going to take for that LOE.

jillyrj

Another night waiting up in the UK until AHPRA offices open oz time....only to be told the same thing.
My application is 'under assessment' (stage 2....still). They consider each case on an individual basis and review each case thoroughly.....no timeframe can be given. I cannot talk to the officer in charge of my case as they will only tell me the same thing.
They have a high number of applicants.
I should monitor my email and spam folders for any request for additional information....that bit doesn't sound good.

This is so frustrating. If they could just say what was happening, or give an idea of how much longer it will be, or just tell me they need more information so I can get it.

I am so worried this visa offer will fall through with how much time this is taking.

jillyrj

So...after phoning AHPRA as per prev post I woke to an e-mail from them stating more information is required for my application in line with the new education standards.
Any application received after 7th October 2013 is going through these new standards and apparently there is a back log they are working through to request the information.
Why they didn't ask me for this on 18th Feb when they last emailed me re not certifying each page of my CV I have no idea. As the Aussies say 'Slack'.

Anyway they sent me the blurb about the new standards 1-8 and I need to provide information to satisfy 2, 3, 5, 6 & 8 - all things University need to provide so I've spent the last 2 days trying to do this. Have managed to get 2&3 done and posted today courtesy of Uni. 5,6 & 8 are more complicated and need Uni to look into my attendance on placement, evidence the therapeutics & diagnostics reasoning (pharmacology/pharmacokinetics) module I took and also for them to find the course syllabus from the years I studied nursing to forward on - the transcript of modules is insufficient evidence of what was studied and they need blurb on what each module entailed.
I have a feeling my sponsorship offer will soon fall through so it will be back to applying for PR.
Jill

YvetteCamille

Oh god Jill what a nightmare! It sounds like everyone has a bad time with AHPRA. You can ask the NMC to send syllabus also. If you go on their website and email the transcript team they'll send copies of your programme of study. I've asked them to do this along with the uni so hopefully that'll cover it. I had my diploma cert with each module that was covered, didn't mention pharmacology anywhere tho which is odd as we had meds exams etc.
I hope you manage to sort it.

picto1

Hi

It's good to read your update. When I looked at the criteria before applying to AHPRA I thought I'd struggle with number 8, however, there is reference to pharmacology on my transcript, although it doesn't go into detail.

Now, reading your post I'll contact the school of nursing and get the ball rolling.

Good luck and keep us all posted!

Shaun

jillyrj

Thank you....yes totally stressed out to the max with it all! Thanks - I've e-mailed the NMC as well hopefully something will get there soon! x

genorm

TBH as someone who studied at Uni in Australia, I can't understand why they are being so pedantic. When I returned to th UK, my Australian 1st Class Hons was worth 66% of the UK equivalent. So its not as if they have super duper education levels over there.

genorm

@Camille, oh no, are they messing about? Your application should not have gone to Brisbane if it was posted to Darwin?? Or is that postal tracking you are talking about?

jillyrj

@Genorm
I posted mine to the QLD area as this is where I want to work. I have phoned a few times....it seems to move about? January and Feb I was told it was still in Brisbane but when I phoned in March and my application was being assessed by NSW and my latest correspondence has the Sydney office return address listed so guess NSW are managing my application?
Who knows!
You can download letters for criteral 2 and 3 online and forward to University to complete.
Good luck!

YvetteCamille

Hi Dave,

No I think it was delivered to Brisbane upon hitting Oz and should hopefully be winging its way to Darwin, although its now been 8 days since it got to Brisbane and its still not delivered! The post office said it would take 4 days door-to-door in total (give or take) but its now been 2 weeks and no joy, you weren't kidding about Oz post being slow!

I'm hoping that all this new criteria stuff won't cause me too much bother

YvetteCamille

Keep us posted Jill on how you get on, people can be really helpful on here if you have problems so keep us updated!
I ordered the NMC verification pack a month ago, phoned again 2 weeks ago and I still haven't received it, i'm guessing it's not high on their to do list