New PBS Prescribers - Midwives and Nurse Practitioners

From 1 November 2010 midwives and nurse practitioners authorised as PBS prescribers will be able to write prescriptions for certain medicines under the PBS.

The arrangements for PBS prescribing for midwives and nurse practitioners will be on the same basis as for medical practitioners.  This means that authorised midwives and authorised nurse practitioners will be able to write PBS prescriptions in private practice and in some hospitals once they have a prescriber number.

These changes will improve consumer choices in health care services.  Subsidies for patients will also reduce out-of-pocket costs for some medicines and PBS Safety Net benefits will apply.

The PBS medicines listed for prescribing by different prescriber groups are approved by the Minister for Health and Ageing on recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.

Inclusion of a medicine on the PBS does not confer any ability for a prescriber to prescribe that medicine .  Prescribing rights are always determined by national or state regulatory and registering authorities.

Further information on the new arrangements for midwives and nurse practitioners will be available on the Department of Health and Ageing website and from the Medicare Australia website.
 

 

Date of issue: 1st Nov 2010