New rights for podiatrists will improve patient care.
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Minister David Seymour announced that podiatrists will soon be able to prescribe medicines, expanding their role in treating patients with painful foot and leg conditions. This change will bring New Zealand into line with several other countries, including Australia, Canada, the US, and UK.
The proposed changes, expected to go to Cabinet before the end of this year, aim to enhance patient care by allowing podiatrists to prescribe a wider range of medications. Currently, they are restricted to providing pharmacy-only or restricted medicines for skin care treatments or small surgical procedures.
According to David Seymour, this change will make better use of New Zealand's nearly 500 podiatrists and reduce costs for patients who would otherwise need to see a general practitioner. The Ministry of Health is developing a list of medicines that specially trained podiatrists can prescribe, which is expected to be completed in the first half of next year.
The move recognizes the crucial role podiatrists play in preventing limb amputations among people with chronic health conditions like diabetes. As part of this change, podiatrists will join other health professionals with designated prescribing authority, including nurses, dieticians, and pharmacists.