Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025

Senator McALLISTER (New South Wales—Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) (19:29): The Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 amends the National Health Act 1953 to authorise designated registered nurses as prescribers under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. These nurses will be able to prescribe specific medicines that qualify for Commonwealth subsidy under the PBS.

This bill advances scope-of-practice reforms identified by the Unleashing the potential of our health workforce review and the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce. Since 2017, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and chief nursing and midwifery officers have conducted extensive research and consultation on nurse-prescribing models. The NMBA developed the standards— Debate interrupted.