Guidance issued on endorsements about scheduled medicines

13 Dec 2016

The Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council (Ministerial Council) has recently endorsed Guidance for National Boards: Applications to the Ministerial Council for approval of endorsements in relation to scheduled medicines under section 14 of the National Law¹ (the Guidance).

The Guidance is designed to be used by National Boards when preparing applications to the Ministerial Council for approval of a new endorsement for scheduled medicines for their profession or for approval of an amendment to the terms of an existing approval.

The Optometry Board of Australia (the Board) has an existing approval, which has been in effect since the start of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (National Scheme) on 1 July 2010. The Guidance will be used if the Board proposes to amend the current terms of approval under section 14.

The objectives of the Guidance are to:

• ensure robust, evidence-informed development and assessment of proposals for the use of scheduled medicines 
• promote the safe and effective use of scheduled medicines 
• facilitate common standards across professions for training and clinical practice with respect to the use of scheduled medicines, and/or 
• facilitate nationally-consistent, core scheduled medicines authorities to enable innovation in health service delivery.

AHPRA and National Boards will be producing information for stakeholders to support the implementation of the Guidance. This is expected to be published in early 2017.

The Guidance is published on the AHPRA website, see the Ministerial directives and communiqués.

The Board’s current terms of approval given by the Ministerial Council to the Board is published on the Board’s website, see Ministerial Council Directions and Approval.

The Board’s related Endorsement for scheduled medicines registration standard is published on the Board’s website, see Registration Standards.

¹Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, as in force in each state and territory.