Updated specified prescription medicines for designated registered nurse prescribers

On 4 December 2025, the director general of health published a new Gazette notice listing the prescription medicines registered nurses prescribing in primary health and specialty teams (registered nurse prescribers) are permitted to prescribe (the medicine list). Overall, the new medicines list extends the availability of medicines that nurses are able to prescribe. The list has been extended by an additional 202 medicines.

The Nursing Council has also revised the guidance for registered nurse prescribing in primary health and specialty teams to support safe and effective prescribing. This updated guidance is available here (PDF).

All registered nurse prescribers are expected to keep up to date with changes to medicines and safe prescribing practice by using clinical guidance such as Health Pathways, antimicrobial guidelines, the New Zealand Formulary, Medsafe Prescriber Updates and the Community Pharmaceutical Schedule.