Jo Briskey (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Indeed—and our member for Bullwinkel! Nurses are often the first clinicians people see and the ones who stay with patients throughout their care. They work in our GP clinics, hospitals, aged-care homes, community health services and mental health settings, building relationships, providing continuity and delivering care with skill and compassion. I'd like to take this opportunity to recognise some amazing nurses who looked after my daughter Gwenevieve when, in the final week of school holidays just a couple of weeks ago, she had to have her appendix taken out. The nurses at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne were incredible, keeping Gweny calm and in good spirits whilst recognising how scary this procedure was for her and helping her to take the medicine that she needed, sometimes with much protest. My heartfelt thanks to every single nurse, doctor and healthcare professional who helped to support Gwenevieve and who looked after us and our entire family when we were there a couple of weeks ago.

This bill recognises that many registered nurses already have advanced training and expertise and, with the right education and safeguards, can effectively and safely take on an expanded prescribing role. The national registration standard—endorsement for scheduled medicines, designated registered nurse prescriber—was approved by the health ministers in December 2024 and came into effect in September 2025. It sets out clear, rigorous requirements that registered nurses must meet and attain to maintain endorsement. The first cohort of designated registered nurse prescribers is expected to complete their education, receive endorsement and begin prescribing by 26 July. This is reform done properly, grounded in evidence, education and professional standards.

Designated registered nurse prescribing is based on partnership, with nurse prescribers practising in collaboration with authorised health practitioners under active prescribing agreements. That collaborative approach has been central to the design of this reform, and it is why it has received support from across the health sector, including through extensive consultation with organisations such as the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the Australian Medical Association. This shared approach reflects a modern understanding of health care—one that values collaboration, respects professional expertise and keeps patients at the centre.

The real impact of this bill will be felt by patients and communities, including those communities I am proud to represent across Maribyrnong. Maribyrnong is a diverse and growing electorate with families juggling work and care responsibilities, older Australians ageing in place and many people managing chronic and complex health conditions. Like many communities across Australia, we rely heavily on strong primary and community based care to keep people well and out of hospital. In primary healthcare settings across Maribyrnong, designated registered nurse prescribers will be able to support patients with more timely access to PBS subsidised medicines, particularly for ongoing and chronic conditions. That means fewer delays, fewer unnecessary appointments and a smoother experience for patients whilst also allowing general practitioners to focus their time and expertise.

In aged care, in places like Wintringham in Avondale Heights, where many residents live with multiple health conditions and frequently require changes to medication, this reform supports faster clinical decision-making and better continuity of care. For older residents and their families, that means greater confidence that care is timely, coordinated and responsive. In disability and mental health settings, designated registered nurse prescribers will be able to contribute to medication management as part of a broader person centred approach to care, supporting stability, dignity and recovery and helping to ensure people receive the right care at the right time close to home. And in hospital settings, particularly at the point of discharge, this reform will help ensure patients can leave hospital safely and promptly with the medicines they need, easing pressure on hospital beds, improving patient flow and reducing the risk of people falling through the cracks as they transition back into the community.

These are practical, real-world improvements that will make a meaningful difference in places like Maribyrnong. They reflect Labor's commitment to building a healthcare system that works for communities not just on paper but in practice.

This reform is also being delivered in a coordinated and genuinely national way. All states and territories are currently amending their drugs and poisons legislation to enable designated registered nurse prescribers by July 2026. That level of alignment reflects a shared understanding that this reform is necessary and overdue and will deliver real benefits to patients no matter where they live. This national consistency is important. It means that, whether people are accessing care in a local GP clinic, an aged-care facility, a community health service or a hospital, the system is better equipped to respond quickly, safely and effectively to their needs. It also provides greater certainty for our health workforce. Nurses who live and work in our local communities can practise within a clear, nationally consistent framework supported by strong professional standards and shared expectations across the country.

This bill is also about valuing and supporting our health workforce. By enabling designated registered nurse prescribing, we are creating clearer career pathways for nurses, improving job satisfaction and helping retain skilled clinicians within our health system. At a time when workforce pressures are one of the greatest challenges facing our healthcare system, supporting nurses to work their full scope of practice is not just sensible—it's essential.

The Unleashing the Potential of our Health WorkforceScope of Practice Review, led by Professor Mark Cormack, was unequivocal on this point. It found that barriers to working to full scope of practice prevent the most effective use of the existing workforce and undermine the sustainability of our health system over time. This reform responds directly to that finding. It empowers health professionals to contribute fully within their areas of expertise, removes unnecessary constraints on safe and effective care, and ensures our workforce is supported to deliver more for patients. It is another way that this government is strengthening Medicare—not just by investing in it but by modernising how it works for patients, providers and the workforce who sustain it.

This bill is thoughtful, practical and forward-looking, but it is also something more than that. It is a clear statement of this government's values and of our belief in a strong, universal Medicare system, one that evolves with the needs of the community it serves and is built on trust in the people who deliver it every day.

This legislation modernises our laws to reflect contemporary healthcare practice. It embraces evidence based reform that supports collaboration, flexibility and patient centred care. It supports our healthcare workforce, particularly our nurses, by recognising their skills, their training and their vital role across every part of our healthcare system. And, most importantly, it improves access to affordable medicines for Australians, which have now been made even cheaper because of our government's cheaper medicines policy. It's just $25 a script, like it was back in 2004.

It means fewer delays in care, better continuity for patients and a health system that works more smoothly, more fairly and more humanely, especially when people are unwell, vulnerable or caring for someone that they love. That is the kind of reform Australians expect from our Labor government, and that is exactly why I commend this bill to the House.

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