Fund your learning

This page contains information about professional development funding and education scholarships.

 

For MERAS Members - Continued Professional Development (CPD Funding)

Each District shall commit each financial year (that being 1 July to 30 June) a sum of $1,000 per MERAS midwife (headcount), that is accessible by MERAS members who are midwives only, to enable midwives to meet approved professional development requirements. Unused funds will remain available for use for up to a further twelve (12) months following the end of the financial year.

Applications may include:

  • External provider workshops or courses
  • Conference registration inclusive of travel and accommodation
  • Costs related to textbooks
  • Tertiary education courses, papers and programmes. Applications for post-graduate funding should in the first instance be made to Health Workforce New Zealand for funding administered by New Zealand College of Midwives.

NB: Claims for MERAS CPD funding are a two-step process please read document below to ensure that your approval and reimbursement are progressed as quickly as possible.

CPD Fund for MERAS Midwives (Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley) _ID 1.105791

 

Midwifery NZNO Members (Capital, Coast only)

Additional professional development funding
The following application criteria must be met in order to receive additional professional development funding and is based on your QLP domain:
  • Maintenance or progression on QLP at an appropriate level
  • A current role description that requires registration as a midwife
  • Current Performance Review (less than 12 months old at time of application)
  • Annual Professional Development and Career Plan
  • Completed Pre-Approval Form approved by Line Manager, Director of Midwifery and Nurse Director Workforce Development 

For international travel, approval by the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) is required. NB: All funding is at the discretion of the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO).

 

Funding Entitlement for Professional Development

Entitlement is allocated annually from the date the level on the QLP is attained. Confident or Leadership entitlement amounts can be accrued for a maximum of two years from the date of attainment of this level. Competent level entitlements do not accrue.

Entitlement is allocated annually from the date the level on the QLP is attained. Confident or Leadership entitlement amounts can be accrued for a maximum of two years from the date of attainment of this level. Competent level entitlements do not accrue.

 

Funds Entitlements  - What can you claim

 

Your Responsibility

NZNO midwives who receive these funds agree to the following: 

  • The Workforce & Practice Development Unit (WPDU) will be informed of any change in circumstance e.g. course unavailable, enrolment declined, employment change, moving cities, withdrawal or parental leave.
  • If the applicant leaves Capital, Coast within four weeks of completing the education the cost may be requested to be reimbursed.
  • Minimise all costs.
  • Professional development pre-approval applications are to be made at least six weeks before close of early bird rates, and/or departure and event start dates to ensure bookings at the best travel and accommodation rates and registration at the early bird rate. In all cases only the early bird rate will be reimbursed.
  • Conference attendance will require a report and presentation back to your Service or Organisation within one month of returning.
  • Each individual is responsible for claiming their own costs to ensure expenses are accurately recorded against their entitlement. We recommend you do not pay for a colleague as their costs will be deducted from your entitlement.
  • Approved applications must be finalised with FlexiPurchase within three months of the expense being incurred after which time the claim lapses (aligns with staff reimbursement procedure).
  • If you are presenting at a conference, it is expected that you first present locally, regionally, or nationally prior to international presentations.

 

NZNO Midwives Seeking Scholarship Funds (Capital, Coast Only)

HSS nurses and midwives: Scholarship Funds were initiated in the Nurses and Midwives Collective Employment Agreement prior to 1996. The agreement states that Capital, Coast and NZNO agree that ongoing education is of value to both the employer and the HSS staff employed by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Capital, Coast.  The employer has set aside a fund of $200,000 in each financial year. This fund is unique to Capital, Coast. Funding provided is pro-rata based on midwives (and nurses) FTE and cannot exceed $3,000 per annum.

All scholarship applications will be considered and prioritised within available funds and at the discretion of the Chief Nursing Officer.

 

FTE and Pro-rated funding are as follows:

 

Scholarship Funds Access Criteria - What can you claim

  • International conference funding per midwife (or nurse) is limited to once every two years.
  • No more than two attendees for the same international conference will be funded via this funding stream.

Your Responsibility

Midwives who receive scholarship funds agree to the following:

  • To keep the Workforce & Practice Development Unit (WPDU) Data and Funding Support team informed of any change in circumstance e.g. course unavailable, enrolment declined by education provider, employment change, moving cities, withdrawal and parental leave.
  • Minimise all costs.
  • Professional Development pre-approval applications are to be made at least six weeks before the close of early bird rates, and/or departure and event start dates to ensure bookings at the best travel and accommodation rates and registration at the early bird rate. In all cases only the early bird rate will be reimbursed.
  •  Conference attendance will require a report or presentation back to your Service or Organisation within one month of returning.
  • Each individual is responsible for claiming their own costs to ensure expenses are accurately recorded against your entitlement. We recommend you do not pay for a colleague as their costs will be deducted from your entitlement.
  • Approved applications must be finalised with FlexiPurchase within three months of the expenses being incurred after which time the claim lapses.
  • If you are presenting at a conference, it is expected that you first present locally, regionally or nationally prior to international presentations.

Please read the Sensitive Expenditure Policy for more information

 

Alternative Scholarships available throughout New Zealand

Last updated 25 September 2024.