The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) has welcomed the announcement that Treasurers have agreed to supporting health practitioners to work at their full scope of practice in the updated National Competition Policy Federation Funding Agreement Schedule.
The inclusion of full scope of practice reforms in the agreement recognises that enabling nurses and other health practitioners to work to the top of their scope is essential to improving productivity and reducing costs in the health sector.
"This is a significant endorsement from Treasurers that full scope of practice is not just good for patient care – it's economically essential," ACN Chief Executive Officer, Adjunct Professor Kathryn Zeitz FACN said.
"This is particularly timely, given the regulatory change now in effect that will enable registered nurses to prescribe medications."
"When registered nurses can prescribe in partnership; when nurse practitioners can work without unnecessary barriers; and when all nurses can practice to their full scope, we will see improved access to high-quality, safe care; reduced waiting times; and better use of our health workforce."
"Further, we need to be making the regulatory and funding changes to enable nurses to work to their full scope of practice in, for example, the vital preventive health area of vaccinations.
"We need to be funding them to deliver wound care more autonomously and give them scope to help manage and prevent chronic conditions.
"All these reforms will have not just profound impacts for healthcare consumers, but also profound impacts for the efficiency of the health system as a whole," said Adjunct Professor Zeitz.
ACN says the Treasurers' commitment to full scope of practice must now be matched with the systemic support needed to make these reforms work in practice.
It must be underpinned by the release of the National Nursing Workforce Strategy, which will yield a strategic approach to using our nursing resources most effectively.
"We need comprehensive support from all parts of the healthcare sector, including communications to build awareness, education for employers and authorised health practitioners on partnership arrangements, and access to Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme subsidies for prescriptions by registered nurse prescribers," Adjunct Professor Zeitz said.
"ACN is pleased that a nationally consistent approach is being taken.
"We look forward to working with Commonwealth and State Treasurers, Health Ministers, regulators and all stakeholders to ensure these productivity-boosting reforms deliver real improvements for people needing healthcare."
