Legislation changes for health practitioners

The requirements under the new Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2022 and the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2026 will apply to all health practitioners. P​lease refer to the information below for detailed changes which will come into force from 5 November 2026.

​​On this page​

1. ​Podiatrists
   
2. Optometrists​
3. Other health professionals​
4. ​​More information
   

​Podiatrists

From 5 November, the changes below apply to podiatrists when practising within their respective scopes of practice. Some requirements apply only to podiatrists with an endorsement.

The new laws introduce the following changes for podiatrists and podiatrists with an endorsement:

• Podiatrists can obtain by wholesale, and administer:
• ​Schedule 2 medicines
  
• Schedule 3 medicines 
• Schedule 4 medicines that are synthetic local anaesthetics.
• Podiatrists with an endorsement may obtain, prescribe, supply, administer, and issue a direction to administer:
• Schedule 4 medicines 
  
• Schedule 8 medicines​
  
• ​Prescriptions issued by podiatrists with an endorsement no longer need to include the words “For Podiatry Treatment Only". ​
• Urgent use medicines from pharmacies now restricted to registered products only.
• The Act and Regulation set out penalties for offences associated with unauthorised activities. Penalties are classified in 5 tiers​​​​ and differ for individuals and corporations. More information can be found in the offences and penalties section of the Act and the Regulation. 
  
• Schedule 8 medicines are subject to a number of additional controls relating to their storage, access and record keeping. See M​anagement of Schedule 8 medicines for more information
  

Please visit webpage Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods legislation update to access relevant resources.

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​​​Optometrists

From 5 November, the changes below apply to optometrists when practising within their respective scopes of practice. Some requirements apply only to optometrists with an endorsement.

The new laws introduce the following changes for optometrists and optometrists with an endorsement:​

• Optometrists can obtain by wholesale, and administer the following medicines for use in ophthalmic preparations for diagnostic purposes:
• Schedule 2 medicines
• Schedule 3 medicines
• Schedule 4 medicines.
  
• Optometrists with an endorsement may obtain by wholesale, prescribe, supply, administer and give a direction to administer Schedule 4 medicines in the course of practice.
  
• Prescriptions issued by optometrists with an endorsement no longer need to include the “For Optometrical Treatment Only". 
• Urgent use medicines from pharmacies now restricted to registered products only.
• The Act and Regulation set out penalties for offences associated with unauthorised activities. ​Penalties are classified in 5 tiers​​​​​​​ and differ for individuals and corporations. More information can be found in the offences and penalties section of the Act and the Regulation.​
• Schedule 8 medicines are subject to a number of additional controls relating to their storage, access and record keeping. See M​anagement of Schedule 8 medicines​ for more information​.

Please visit webpage Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods legislation update to access relevant resources.

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​​​Other health professionals

​Find more information on how legislation changes affect professionals in other health sectors:

• ​Pharmacists
• Medical practitioners
• Dental practitioners
• Veterinary practitioners​​
  

Nurse and midwives

​​Nurse practitioners and nurses with an endorsement​

Refer to the webpage on Information for nurse practitioners and nurses with an endorsement.​

​Other nurses and midwives

The changes in the new laws that affect the handling of medicines by a nurses and midwives is dependent on the healthcare setting in which they work. Please visit webpage Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods legislation update to access relevant resources.

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