Abstract:
Responses from the recent workforce survey showed that many dispensing opticians were looking at ways they can expand their scope of practice and what tasks they can perform as a health professional. One mechanism that is already in place are standing orders, which can authorise a specified person or class of people (e.g., dispensing opticians) who do not have prescribing rights to administer and/or supply specified medicines. This talk will detail exactly what standing orders are, what the requirements are, and go through an example of a situation in optometry for when a standing order may be useful.