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Terms Of Reference For The New Prescribers Advisory Committee
Accountability
The New Prescribers Advisory Committee is established under section 8 of the Medicines Act 1981. The New Prescribers Advisory Committee is appointed by, and accountable to, the Minister of Health.
PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
The New Prescribers Advisory Committee is responsible for providing advice to the Minister of Health on issues regarding proposals from health professions seeking limited independent prescribing rights.
The objectives of the New Prescribers Advisory Committee are to:
- establish generic criteria, in consultation with the health professions, which any health professional group must meet in preparing an application for prescribing rights (eg, the competency and education requirements that a profession must attain in order to seek registration as a prescriber by the relevant health occupational registration body etc);
- assess applications from health professional groups seeking prescribing rights, including:
- the potential risks and benefits to consumers from extending limited prescribing rights to the professional group;
- whether the proposed competencies, education (ie qualifications) and training requirements developed by the relevant health professional registration body are adequate to ensure safe and competent prescribing by the professional group;
- whether arrangements for continuing education and training, monitoring and assessment, and registration by the relevant health professional registration body are adequate to ensure that prescribing practices by the professional group continue to be appropriate and safe;
- whether the classes of medicines proposed by the professional group for prescribing rights are appropriate, and whether the prescribing of these classes of medicines will be adequately covered in the proposed training and education programmes.
- provide recommendations to the Minister of Health, on the basis of the Committee's assessment of an application, as to whether a health profession should be granted limited independent prescribing rights.
- advise the Minister of Health on any terms and conditions that should be imposed on new prescribers in order to maintain patient safety.
PRINCIPLES
The principles guiding the work of the New Prescribers Advisory Committee are that it:
- carries out its tasks in an open and transparent manner;
- consults with other advisory committees appointed under section 8 of the Medicines Act 1981;
- consults with people, groups and organisations that might be effected by the Committee's recommendations.
MEMBERSHIP
The New Prescribers Advisory Committee shall consist of:
- two medical practitioners, one dentist, and one midwife (to represent current prescribers);
- one pharmacist and one nurse (as representatives of other health professionals who are likely to seek prescribing rights.) Other members may be co-opted on an advisory basis, depending on the application being considered by the committee (eg optometrists, physiotherapists, psychologists etc);
- two educators of health professions;
- one representative from the Medical Council, the Pharmaceutical Society, the Nursing Council and the Dental Council;
- one representative of the pharmaceutical industry;
- three representatives from consumer groups; and
- one Ministry of Health representative.
The members shall be appointed by the Minister of Health after consultation with relevant organisations. In making appointments the Minister of Health shall take into account the need for a balance in the ethnicity, gender and geographical representation of members. The Minister shall appoint a Chairperson for the Committee.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES OF A MEMBER
General
1. Committee members have a commitment to work for the greater good of the Committee. They are accountable to the Minister of Health.
2. Committee members attend meetings and undertake Committee activities as independent persons responsible to the Committee as a whole.
3. There is an expectation that Committee members will make every effort to attend all Committee meetings and devote sufficient time to become familiar with the affairs of the Committee and the wider environment within which it operates.
Legislation and Conflicts of Interest
4. Committee members should perform their functions in good faith, honestly and impartially and avoid situations that might compromise their integrity or otherwise lead to conflicts of interest. Proper observation of these principles will protect the Committee and its members and will enable public confidence to be maintained.
5. When Committee members believe they have a conflict of interest on a subject which will prevent them from reaching an impartial decision or undertaking an activity consistent with the Committee's functions, they must declare a conflict of interest and withdraw themselves from the discussion and/or activity.
Confidentiality
6. Meetings, including agenda material and minutes, of the Committee are confidential. Committee members must ensure that the confidentiality of Committee business is maintained.
7. Members are free to express their own views within the context of Committee meetings, or the general business of the Committee.
8. Committee members must publicly support a course of action decided by the Committee, or if unable to do that, must not publicly comment on decisions.
9. At no time shall Committee members individually divulge details of Committee matters or decisions of the Committee to persons who are not Committee members. Disclosure of Committee business to anyone outside the Committee must be the decision of the Committee, or between meetings, at the discretion of the Chairperson of the Committee.
10. Committee members must ensure that Committee documents are kept secure to ensure the confidentiality of Committee work is maintained. Release of Committee correspondence or papers can only be made with the approval of the Committee. The work of the Committee is subject to the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982.
MEETINGS
The Minister of Health shall appoint a Chairperson for the New Prescribers Advisory Committee. Meetings will be held as required. The Chairperson will chair each meeting of the New Prescribers Advisory Committee. In the absence of the Chairperson, Committee members should nominate a Deputy-Chairperson to chair meetings of the New Prescribers Advisory Committee.
ATTENDANCE FEES
The fees that members receive for attendance at committee meetings will be set in accordance with the State Services Commission's guidelines for the administration of statutory bodies and commitees. Travel and reasonable expenses will also be paid.
SERVICING OF THE NEW PRESCRIBERS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The New Prescribers Advisory Committee will be serviced by the Ministry of Health.
Hon Annette King
MINISTER OF HEALTH DATE: