Statute Details
- Title: Nurses and Midwives (Exemption for Approved Pharmacists) Regulations 2024
- Full Title: Nurses and Midwives (Exemption for Approved Pharmacists) Regulations 2024
- Act Code: NMA1999-S693-2024
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (sl)
- Commencement Date: 4 September 2024
- Parts: N/A
- Key Sections: Section 2: Definitions; Section 3: Persons who may carry out influenza vaccinations
- Related Legislation: Midwives Act 1999, Timeline Authorising Act
What Is This Legislation About?
The Nurses and Midwives (Exemption for Approved Pharmacists) Regulations 2024 is a piece of subsidiary legislation enacted under the Nurses and Midwives Act 1999. It provides an exemption for approved pharmacists to carry out influenza vaccinations at approved retail pharmacies, without requiring them to be registered nurses or midwives.
The key purpose of this legislation is to expand access to influenza vaccinations by allowing trained pharmacists to administer them in addition to registered nurses and midwives. This helps increase vaccination coverage and convenience for the public, while still maintaining appropriate safeguards and oversight.
What Are the Key Provisions?
The Nurses and Midwives (Exemption for Approved Pharmacists) Regulations 2024 contains three main sections:
Section 1: Citation and Commencement
This section states that the regulations are called the "Nurses and Midwives (Exemption for Approved Pharmacists) Regulations 2024" and came into effect on 4 September 2024.
Section 2: Definitions
This section defines two key terms used in the regulations:
- "approved pharmacist" and "approved retail pharmacy" have the meanings given in the Health Products (Therapeutic Products) Regulations 2016.
- "influenza vaccination" means an intramuscular injection to introduce an influenza vaccine into an individual's body for the purpose of providing protection against influenza.
Section 3: Persons Who May Carry Out Influenza Vaccinations
This is the core provision of the regulations. It states that:
- For the purposes of section 27(6)(c) of the Nurses and Midwives Act 1999, section 27(1) of that Act does not apply to an approved pharmacist who carries out an influenza vaccination at an approved retail pharmacy, in accordance with the conditions specified in item 4 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Health Products (Therapeutic Products) Regulations 2016.
- For the purposes of section 28(4)(c) of the Nurses and Midwives Act 1999, section 28(1) of that Act does not apply to the employment of an approved pharmacist to carry out an influenza vaccination at an approved retail pharmacy, in accordance with the conditions specified in item 4 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Health Products (Therapeutic Products) Regulations 2016.
In other words, approved pharmacists are exempt from the restrictions in sections 27(1) and 28(1) of the Nurses and Midwives Act 1999, which would otherwise require them to be registered nurses or midwives in order to administer influenza vaccinations or be employed to do so. This exemption is subject to the pharmacists meeting the specified conditions in the Health Products (Therapeutic Products) Regulations 2016.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Nurses and Midwives (Exemption for Approved Pharmacists) Regulations 2024 is a short piece of subsidiary legislation consisting of only three sections:
- Citation and commencement
- Definitions
- Persons who may carry out influenza vaccinations
It does not contain any further subdivisions or parts. The regulations directly reference and rely on definitions and conditions contained in the parent Nurses and Midwives Act 1999 and the Health Products (Therapeutic Products) Regulations 2016.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Nurses and Midwives (Exemption for Approved Pharmacists) Regulations 2024 apply to two main groups:
- Approved pharmacists - The regulations exempt approved pharmacists from the requirement to be registered nurses or midwives in order to administer influenza vaccinations at approved retail pharmacies.
- Employers of approved pharmacists - The regulations also exempt employers from the requirement to only employ registered nurses or midwives to carry out influenza vaccinations, when they employ approved pharmacists to do so at approved retail pharmacies.
The key criteria are that the pharmacist must be "approved" and the retail pharmacy where the vaccinations are administered must also be "approved", as defined in the Health Products (Therapeutic Products) Regulations 2016.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
The Nurses and Midwives (Exemption for Approved Pharmacists) Regulations 2024 serve an important public health function by expanding access to influenza vaccinations. By allowing trained and approved pharmacists to administer these vaccinations, it increases the number of healthcare providers who can deliver this service conveniently to the public.
This is particularly valuable during influenza season when demand for vaccinations is high. The regulations help ensure more people can be vaccinated in a timely manner, which protects individual and community health. At the same time, the regulations maintain appropriate safeguards by only exempting approved pharmacists who meet the specified conditions.
From an enforcement perspective, the Singapore Nursing Board is responsible for overseeing compliance with these regulations. Approved pharmacists and their employers must adhere to the requirements, or they may face penalties under the Nurses and Midwives Act 1999. This helps ensure the regulations are properly implemented and the public can have confidence in the quality of influenza vaccination services.
Related Legislation
- Nurses and Midwives Act 1999 (the parent legislation)
- Health Products (Therapeutic Products) Regulations 2016 (referenced for definitions and conditions)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Nurses and Midwives (Exemption for Approved Pharmacists) Regulations 2024 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.