Review of the policy relating to the operation of the Medicines (Standing Orders) Regulation s2002

Review of the policy relating to the operation of the Medicines (Standing Orders) Regulation s2002
Discussion document

Date of publication: October 2006
Submission closed Friday 1 December

Summary
How to have your say
Publication availability
Publishing information
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Summary

In November 2002 the Government made a set of regulations that sets out the requirements for standing orders.

A standing order is a written instruction issued by a medical practitioner or dentist, in accordance with the regulations, authorising any specified class of persons engaged in the delivery of health services to supply and administer any specified class or description of prescription medicines or controlled drugs to any specified class of persons, in circumstances specified in the instruction, without a prescription.

It has come to the Ministry’s attention that the original policy underpinning the Medicines (Standing Orders) Regulations 2002 (the Regulations) requires review. This document:

provides background information to allow you to make informed comment,
outlines, and discusses, options for updating the policy and the Regulations to reflect the current environment,
provides two case studies which highlight the difficulty in complying with the counter-signing requirement in standing orders at an operational level
asks specific questions to guide your comments

Please note that all correspondence and submissions on this matter may be the subject of a request under the Official Information Act 1982. If there is any part of your correspondence that you consider could properly be withheld under that Act, please include comment to that effect and give reasons why you would want it withheld.

Publication availability

The discussion document is available in Word and PDF format below:

Review of the policy relating to the operation of the Medicines (Standing Orders) Regulation s2002 (Word, 70 KB)
Review of the policy relating to the operation of the Medicines (Standing Orders) Regulation s2002 (PDF, 42 KB)

Appendix 3: Guidelines for the Development and Operation of Standing Orders

Publishing information

Date of publication: October 2006

ISBN 0-478-30025-5

HP number: 4302

Citation: Ministry of Health. 2006. Review of the Policy Relating to the Operation of the Medicines (Standing Orders) Regulations 2002: A discussion document. Wellington: Ministry of Health.

Related information

Health Practitioners Competence Act 2003