HSD Program Nurse Practitioner Prescribing Amendment
Summary
The National Health (Highly Specialised Drugs Program) Special Arrangement Amendment (Nurse Practitioner Prescribing) Instrument 2026 amends the 2021 Special Arrangement to expand prescribing authority under the HSD Program to include nurse practitioners. The amendment was made on 24 April 2026 and is now in force, administered by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. This change enables nurse practitioners to prescribe highly specialised drugs, potentially increasing patient access to these medicines in community and primary care settings.
“National Health (Highly Specialised Drugs Program) Special Arrangement Amendment (Nurse Practitioner Prescribing) Instrument 2026”
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What changed
The instrument amends the National Health (Highly Specialised Drugs Program) Special Arrangement 2021 to add nurse practitioners as authorised prescribers of highly specialised drugs. Previously, prescribing authority under the HSD Program was limited to specialist medical practitioners. The amendment is now in force as of 24 April 2026.
Nurse practitioners and healthcare organisations should review their prescribing scope and update clinical governance frameworks to incorporate HSD prescribing where clinically appropriate. Patients in community and primary care settings may benefit from streamlined access to highly specialised medicines through nurse practitioner prescribing pathways.
Archived snapshot
Apr 24, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
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National Health (Highly Specialised Drugs Program) Special Arrangement Amendment (Nurse Practitioner Prescribing) Instrument 2026
In force Administered by
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Latest version F2026L00448 24 April 2026
View document Legislative instrument Explanatory statement Filter active Table of contents
- 1 Name
- 2 Commencement
- 4 Schedules
- 4 Schedules
- Schedule 1—Amendments
- National Health (Highly Specialised Drugs Program) Special Arrangement 2021
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