14/04/2004

Nurses to prescribe more medicines under government plans

Patients who need medicines in an emergency will be treated more quickly under plans to expand nurse prescribing powers, it has been announced today.

The new proposals would mean that nurses could prescribe medicines used to treat life-threatening conditions like blood clots, deep vein thrombosis and meningitis. This would also help to relieve the burden on accident and emergency staff, the health department said.

The plan is part of a drive to make better use of nurses' skills and to make it easier for patients to get access to the medicines they need. Nurses can already prescribe more than 180 medicines, and the government proposes to add at least 60 more to treat a wider range of medical conditions.

Health Minister John Hutton said that extending nurse prescribing was an "important part" of modernising the NHS.

"By breaking down traditional prescribing roles, patients can more easily access the treatment they need and are able to more fully benefit from the NHS' highly skilled workforce. Today's proposals will particularly improve emergency care for patients and help to relieve the burden on staff working in A&E," he said.

The government is consulting on the proposals and details are available from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

(gmcg)

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