Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman has announced widened prescribing rights for certain nurses. Photo / Mark Mitchell.
New Zealanders will be able to skip a doctor's appointment and get certain common medicines prescribed by a specially-trained nurse from next month.
The prescribing nurses will be specially trained, work in a team that includes an authorised prescriber, and prescribe from a schedule of common medicines.
Contraceptives or antibiotics
for sexually transmitted diseases are medicines that could be prescribed under the new scheme that starts on September 20, says Health Minister Jonathan Coleman.
"The changes mean a suitably trained registered nurse working in a primary care team could treat a person needing medicines for a straightforward condition, potentially removing the need to refer him or her to a doctor or nurse practitioner.
"This has the potential to deliver faster care, reduce double handling and improve access to medicines."
