Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025

# Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 ## What it does This bill allows certain qualified nurses—called "eligible nurse prescribers"—to prescribe medicines that are funded under Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), the program that subsidises medications for Australian patients. It updates two key health laws to recognise these nurses alongside doctors and other authorised prescribers. ## Why it matters More Australians could access prescriptions without always needing to see a doctor, potentially reducing wait times and making healthcare more accessible in areas with GP shortages. This is particularly useful for managing chronic conditions where nurses are already heavily involved in patient care. ## Key details - **Who it affects**: Eligible nurse prescribers who meet certain training and approval requirements will need formal authorisation under the National Health Act to prescribe PBS medicines - **When it starts**: The changes take effect the day after the bill receives Royal Assent (no waiting period) - **What changes**: The Health Insurance Act and National Health Act are being amended to add eligible nurse prescribers to the list of recognised prescribing professionals, treating them similarly to existing nurse practitioners