Nurse prescribing reaches new horizons.

The new year witnessed the advent of expanded prescribing powers for nurses in England, as promised by the Government in late 2005. Today, nurses who undergo specialist training, are allowed to prescribe a selection of controlled drugs for palliative care conditions: diamorphine, diazepam, lorazepam, midazolam, morphine, oxycodone, codeine phosphate, dihydrocodeine tartrate and transdermal buprenorphine and fentanyl that was not possible under the previous restrictions. This is a positive move forward for patients who will receive an improved service with more patient choice and improved access to health care.