Trained Registered Nurses to Prescribe PBS Medicines Under New Laws
06 Jul 2026
The changes are designed to improve access to healthcare while ensuring prescribing is carried out safely and in partnership with authorised health practitioners.
The new prescribing role will be available to registered nurses who complete postgraduate training and meet the endorsement requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
The first group of endorsed nurse prescribers is already working mainly in hospitals, with more expected to qualify this month.
Updates to PBS administrative systems will be completed by 1 October 2026, allowing the new arrangements to begin. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) is still deciding which PBS medicines will be available for nurse prescribing.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the reforms followed years of consultation and careful planning. He said strong patient safety measures and ongoing monitoring are important to ensure the changes are implemented safely and collaboratively.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) welcomed the reforms, saying they will improve access to timely, high-quality healthcare. The organisation also encouraged GPs and practice nurses to work together to develop collaborative models of care.
The changes build on decisions made by state and federal health ministers in 2024, which allowed appropriately trained registered nurses to prescribe certain Schedule 2, 3, 4 and 8 medicines in partnership with an authorised health practitioner. A national prescribing standard was introduced in 2025 to guide nurse prescribing.
The RACGP continues to support nurse prescribing within clearly defined clinical settings and collaborative healthcare teams. However, it remains concerned about allowing nurse prescribers to prescribe Schedule 8 medicines and has called for appropriate safeguards and oversight.
Trained Registered Nurses to Prescribe PBS Medicines Under New Laws
Source: newsGP / Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), July 2026.