MEDIA RELEASE
Rt Hon Wyatt Creech
Minister of Health
5 October 1999
NURSE PRESCRIBING MEANS BETTER ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
The way has been cleared for people to get easier access to the medicines they need with new legislation allowing nurses
to prescribe.
The Medicines Amendment Bill has had its third reading in Parliament today.
"The National Government is committed to getting more people better access to health care as early as possible.
"We are putting more focus on keeping people healthy and well, and getting them care early on to keep them well and out
of hospital.
"Access to health care in the community is key. Extending prescribing rights to nurses is part and parcel of this
approach.
"The aim of extending prescribing rights to nurses is to enhance access to services and more timely interventions. There
will be quality safeguards in place.
"I want to see nurses out in the community, and not just in hospitals using their strengths as an interface with the
community, providing primary health care services.
"The Medicines Amendment Bill provides a framework for extending independent prescribing rights to nurses and a number
of other registered health professionals.
"The law change came out of a major piece of work by the Government last year the Nursing Taskforce - which recommended
more nurse led initiatives including nurse prescribing."
ENDS