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Proposed changes on endorsement for scheduled medicines for optometrists

Optometry

The Optometry Board of Australia, after managing a public consultation within key stakeholders and governments on the Review of Endorsement for scheduled medicines registration standard and Guidelines for use of scheduled medicines in February 2017, has received feedback on its proposed changes.

The proposal, consulted with the major eye health care professional organisations, Optometry Australia (OA) and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO), aims to:

  • update regulatory framework to adjust to contemporary clinical standards
  • address safety issues
  • clarify the process for future changes to the list of medications that endorsed optometrists are qualified to prescribe
  • support a collaborative approach to accessible, safe eye health care for everyone living in Australia
  • involve key eye health care professional organisations in determining any future new medicines being added to the list available to optometrists
  • include compliance to the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council guidance as an additional requirement

With all these proposed changes drafted by the Board, other processes in the system remain the same such as the Board’s consultation process and checks and balances in the regulatory system. The Board will also continue receiving advice from the multi-disciplinary Scheduled Medicines Advisory Committee and continue monitoring concerns with respect to the professional conduct of optometrists.

Other kept regulations include:

  • The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will continue to safeguard public health and safety by regulating the classification of medicine (as a schedule 2, 3 or 4), the supply of medicines and the monitoring of adverse drug event reporting.
  • State and territory drugs, poisons and controlled substances legislation will continue to determine the timing of when an optometrist is authorised to prescribe and supply.
  • The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) will continue to determine prescription and treatment criteria of medicines endorsed optometrists may prescribe and subsidise respectively.

Photo from Liam Welch on Visualhunt.com

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