The New Practice Standards and Guidelines for Nurses and Midwives with Prescriptive Authority (4th Edition) incorporating the removal of Collaborative Practice Agreement (CPA) will be published on 7 October 2019.

The Board of the NMBI approved the removal of the Collaborative Practice Agreement (CPA) on 17 April 2018 as a requirement for nurses and midwives registration and authority to prescribe. The clinical governance for the prescribing of medicinal products is now determined by the local health service provider’s medicinal product prescribing policy, procedures, protocols or guidelines (PPPGs).

The registered nurse or midwife prescriber is required to prescribe within their scope of practice and must continue to maintain and demonstrate their competency while fulfilling their role. The registered nurse or midwife prescriber must also undertake audit of their prescribing practices as determined by their local health service provider’s audit process for prescribing and medicines management. The result of the audit of prescribing practice must be documented and reported to the person who has the overall responsibility and authority for the governance of registered nurse or midwife prescribing in their health service provider.

The Director of Nursing/Midwifery/Public Health Nursing/Services or their designated person must have overall responsibility and authority for the governance of registered nurse and midwife prescribing to ensure due diligence in their health service provider (NMBI and ONMSD, HSE 2015).