Katy Gallagher has announced that following last week’s greet and grip with the federales the “nurse-led Walk-in Centre” (please, someone, a better name?) is now actually open for business.
And she’s dropped a bit of a bombshell to really get up the noses of the doctors:
“Today I’m also announcing an amendment to ACT medicines legislation that will now allow nurse practitioners to prescribe controlled medicines,” Ms Gallagher said.
“This amendment to the Medicines Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 will enable suitably qualified nurse practitioners to provide their patients with a wider range of treatment options.
“While the use of controlled medicines such as morphine and oxycodone is strictly regulated by legislation, it makes good sense for a nurse practitioner qualified and working in the field of palliative care to be able to prescribe morphine to a patient to relieve their pain.
“Nurse practitioners will be required to comply with all legislation to the same extent as doctors and dentists.