<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>340344</docID> <postdate>2025-03-14 10:43:07</postdate> <headline>Nurses seeks more scope to free-up healthcare</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-340345" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20200331001460986739-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="601" /></p> <caption>There's growing calls for nurses to have greater responsibilities to ease health care delays. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Tess Ikonomou</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>There's growing calls for nurses and midwives to take greater charge of patient care to help free-up GPs and ease the pressure on hospital emergency departments.</strong></p> <p>Australia's nursing and midwifery bodies have called on the federal government and the opposition to back a $500 million program for nurse-led clinics across the country.</p> <p>Unlocking the full scope of nursing skills, including allowing some to provide specialist referrals, would help patients access healthcare in rural and regional areas where GPs are in short supply.</p> <p>Revealing a seven-point wish list at Parliament House in Canberra on Friday, the groups say the changes would make the healthcare system more efficient, with a minimal hit to the federal budget.</p> <p>Labor and the coalition have also been urged to work with state and territory governments to allow registered nurses to prescribe approved medications under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.</p> <p>Nurse practitioners, qualified RNs, and endorsed midwives should further be authorised to order diagnostic tests such as mammograms and X-rays.</p> <p>Australian College of Nursing chief executive Kathryn Zeitz said nurse-led clinics deliver high-quality, cost-effective care across a range of services.</p> <p>"It's time for Australia to fully embrace nurse-led care as an essential component of our healthcare future," she said.</p> <p>"Research consistently demonstrates these clinics reduce hospital admissions, improve patient outcomes, and increase access to care, particularly in under-served communities."</p> <p>Melissa Freeman, clinical nurse specialist and managing director of the nurse-led Port Macquarie Wound Care Clinic, opened her centre in 2019 after more than two decades working in anaesthetics and emergency departments.</p> <p>She said her team of almost 30 healthcare professionals had been able to offload pressure from the local hospital.</p> <p>"We want practitioners working up to their full scope of practice to pick up the slack and help GPs do their work effectively, and cut down wait times," Ms Freeman said.</p> </body>