BREAKING: Tens of thousands of registered nurses across Australia are now set to gain the authority to prescribe medications, marking a historic shift in the nation’s healthcare system. This transformative change is designed to alleviate pressure on overworked general practitioners (GPs) and improve access to essential medicines, especially for patients in rural and remote areas.
The Australian College of Nursing has touted this reform as one of the most significant advancements in decades. Chief Nursing Officer Frances Rice emphasized that this change could significantly reduce GP workloads. “A good example would be a person who is stable on medication that they’ve been on for a long period of time. Instead of needing to make an appointment to see the GP for a repeat prescription, the registered nurse could handle it,” Rice stated.
Patients in rural areas will benefit greatly from this new prescribing authority. Jane Mills, pro vice-chancellor of health innovation at La Trobe University, highlighted that many Australians currently face long wait times or must travel great distances for essential medications. “Registered nurses prescribing will mean faster, local access to treatment and no more unnecessary delays or long journeys,” Mills said.
NEW PATHWAY: To become designated nurse prescribers, registered nurses must complete a structured pathway, which includes obtaining a postgraduate qualification approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and undergoing a six-month mentorship with an authorized health practitioner. Once endorsed, they will be able to prescribe a range of medications, from over-the-counter drugs to controlled substances like morphine and fentanyl.
Despite the exciting potential, some medical professionals have raised concerns about the safety implications of this change. Michael Wright, president of the Royal Australian College of GPs, cautioned that expanding nurse prescribing could complicate patient care if not properly coordinated. “Good primary healthcare is co-ordinated, collaborative, and continuous. If not properly supervised, extending the scope of practice can lead to confusion and unsafe prescribing,” Wright warned.
IMPLEMENTATION: The NMBA has established national standards and guidelines to oversee this rollout, which is expected to begin in 2026. Veronica Casey AM, NMBA chair, described this as “one of the biggest changes to nursing regulation in decades,” aimed at putting patients first while ensuring public safety.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) has already published new accreditation standards to ensure that training programs provide nurses with the necessary skills to prescribe safely. Chief Executive Tanya Vogt noted that this initiative represents a major milestone for nursing across Australia, enabling registered nurses to enhance access to high-quality care.
The phased rollout means that while the first prescribing nurses are expected to complete their training in 2026, the groundwork is being laid now with educational providers preparing to launch programs. This new pathway is projected to attract hundreds of students, fundamentally changing how patients access medications in the country.
As this monumental change unfolds, stakeholders are closely monitoring its impact on healthcare delivery. Corinne Dunningham, a senior lecturer and practicing nurse, emphasized that empowering registered nurses to prescribe medicines is a natural evolution of their role in patient advocacy. “It ensures patients are getting around-the-clock access to medications in areas or situations where they might not have been able to access them previously,” Dunningham stated.
With this development, the future of healthcare in Australia is poised for a significant transformation, promising enhanced access to care for patients and potentially reducing hospital admissions. Keep an eye on this evolving story as more updates are expected in the coming months.
