The Albanese Government has today passed historic legislation to allow authorised nurses to prescribe Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines.
 
The Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 will amend the National Health Act 1953 to allow authorised nurses to prescribe medicines subsidised by the PBS, in partnership with an authorised health practitioner.
 
There are currently over 400,000 RNs, who comprise approximately half of the Australian health workforce and are the most geographically widespread health profession.
 
This reform will be available to Registered Nurses (RNs) who have undertaken studies as required by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).
 
The first RNs have already been endorsed by the NMBA, with others due to graduate in July. Changes to PBS administrative systems required to support it will be ready from 1 October 2026.
 
The reform supports recommendations by the Scope of Practice Review, a major element of the Australian Government’s comprehensive reforms to strengthen Medicare and the health system.
 
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has begun considering which medicines should be available for prescribing by designated RNs.
 
The new legislation follows the December 2024 approval by all state and federal health ministers of a new national registration standard for “designated registered nurse prescribers”. The NMBA’s registration standard commenced on 30 September 2025.