Historic step forward for midwives and nurses
The Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, has welcomed a “landmark day for Australia’s nurses and midwives,” with the introduction of legislation that will give them access to the Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for the first time.
These changes will provide all Australians with greater choice about healthcare via improved access to the skilled services of nurses and midwives.
The legislation will facilitate the Government’s $59.7 million budget commitment to expand the role of nurse practitioners in Australia. Nurse practitioners will now be supported to work to their full potential and provide care in the most appropriate settings, such as aged care facilities, primary care settings or people’s homes.
According to Ms Roxon, removing barriers to the provision of care will lead to improved access and choice to services for the community.
Under the new arrangements, nurse practitioners and midwives wishing to provide treatment under Medicare and prescribe certain medicines under the PBS will need to demonstrate that they meet the eligibility requirements and that they have collaborative arrangements in place, including appropriate referral pathways with hospitals and doctors to ensure that patients receive co-ordinated care and the appropriate expertise and treatment as the clinical need arises.
The details of new Medicare items will be finalised in consultation with professions and specified in delegated legislation. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee will be consulted about the range of medicines that each group will be able to prescribe and the circumstances under which medicines can be prescribed.
Advice will also be sought from clinical experts and health professionals practising in the relevant clinical fields. Prescribing will be in accordance with State and Territory legislation. The new Medicare and PBS arrangements will be available from 1 November 2010.
The Australian Medical Association has said it will work with the Federal Government to ensure patients benefit from the introduction of new prescribing rights for nurse practitioners and midwives.
