Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

The Tánaiste has given a commitment to the House that the pharmacy legislation will be brought before the House. With regard to new prescribing procedures for nurses, a consultation process is in place at the moment and the educational requirements for nurses and midwives will be raised for discussion. It is anticipated that An Bord Altranais will create the structures needed to initiate effectively and examine the outcomes of a competency framework for prescribers under the new legislation allowing nurses to prescribe. Prescriptive authority for nurses and midwives will not be operative until regulations are made by the Minister. It is intended to do this following a consultation process.

The specific educational requirements to permit nurses to prescribe within their scope of practice will be drawn up by An Bord Altranais and incorporated in revised rules, which will also require the approval of the Minister. The intention to introduce an enabling provision for nurses to prescribe is to improve services to patients. These changes are all about providing safe and convenient access to medication by patients in both acute and community settings. That practice is already happening in other jurisdictions and I see no reason for it not to happen satisfactorily here.

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