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10 Sep 2018
The Optometry Board of Australia (the Board) revised Endorsement for scheduled medicines registration standard (registration standard) and Guidelines for use of scheduled medicines (the guidelines) are now in effect as of today.
Registered optometrists need to familiarise themselves with this guidance to ensure their practice meets the Board’s expectations.
The registration standard sets out the requirements that an optometrist must meet to be granted an endorsement. The related guidelines outline the Board’s expectations about the use of scheduled medicines by endorsed and non-endorsed optometrists. The guidelines apply to optometrists with general registration who use scheduled medicines for diagnostic purposes and to optometrists whose registration is endorsed for scheduled medicines, who use scheduled medicines for the purposes of the practice of optometry.
The revised Board-approved list of topical schedule medicines that endorsed optometrists are qualified to prescribe for the purposes of the practice of optometry, is found at Appendix B of the revised guidelines. The revised list is also published on the Board’s website. A FAQ has been developed to provide further information regarding the changes and the Board’s expectations.
The registration standard and guidelines have been updated as a result of a scheduled review, following wide-ranging public consultation in 2017. The COAG Health Council (the Ministerial Council) approved the revised registration standard and guidelines on 31 May 2018. The Ministerial Council approval letter is found on the Board’s website. A transition period in effect from June has now concluded.
All registered optometrists with a scheduled medicines endorsement must also be familiar and comply with the current legislative requirements in the jurisdictions in which they practice.
The registration standard, guidelines and FAQ is available on the Board’s Registration Standards page.